Nudge
by Self-Taught
Summary: Fans of Rook and friends of Castle are fighting for his interests without his knowledge or permission. Their goal is to push Kate into his world. She needs to figure out how to fight these battles and even as she fights against herself. Complete.
1. Prologue

**Summary: **

Fans of Jamison Rook and friends of Richard Castle are fighting for his interests without his knowledge or permission. Their common goal is to push Kate into his world. Beckett needs to figure out how to fight these battles and even as she fights against herself. Castle appears sparingly in the story, as does his foil, Josh. RC is showcased by the devotion of his friends and fans. Jim, Martha, Madison and Lanie as well as a few minor characters from previous episodes parade through the story.

**Dedication: **Srathor reviewed a previous story, encouraged me, and prompted this tale. This story is dedicated to him. (See what reviews can lead to!) Thank him if you enjoy the premise, but the errors and shortcomings are all mine.

**Setting**: Opening begins in season 4. Not a recovery fic, but the story starts there. No spoilers.

**Disclaimer**: Respect and acknowledgement given to Andrew Marlowe, creator of Castle. These characters belong to him, but I love playing with them. I am inspired by the actors and give kudos to their talent.

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

When Captain Roy Montgomery was shot, darkness surrounded the thin blue line and claimed victory. The black bands around every badge heralded the shadows even in the brightest of light. Cops everywhere felt personally attacked by the forces of darkness. Then things got worse. The spotlight shown on that bright sunny day when Detective Katherine Beckett was gunned down was clear and open for the entire world to see. But the sun cast shadows. Lurking in the shadows was more than a lone gunman controlled by a dragon. Hiding in the recesses was a love and longing that would no longer be denied. Richard Castle's love came out into the light. With a monumental shift, lofty motivations and undeniable forces drew new battle lines.

The third time is a charm, right? Richard Castle cast his own spotlight on Kate Beckett for the third time. The first encounter was happenstance. A copycat killing from his books forced that first fateful rendezvous with destiny. It happened long after the fan met the author. Then the author met his muse and Kate Beckett's life forever entwined with Richard Castle.

The second monumental shift was upon the release of Heat Wave. Detective Kate Beckett's anonymity forever disappeared at that moment. While she was too far off the radar to be considered a celebrity, she was never again a nameless, faceless New Yorker. Even housewives in Iowa could Google her name and see her picture. Countless web pages (Google would count them but she couldn't bring herself to look) linked her and Nikki Heat. _Forever_. Real life altered and became entwined with a nonexistent fantasy woman who slept with a Combat Instructor and Journalist.

Now the third monumental event forever shifted Kate's life. This one wasn't as apparent, obvious, or even overt. It was overshadowed by a shot heard 'round the world.' No, this bullet wasn't historically significant, but in this day and age of instant news, when anything passed as news, a cop shot at a cop's funeral made news. And quietly, ever so softly, the whispered sentiment of the writer to the muse crept its way around cyberspace. Quiet did not imply slowness. Rather swiftly the hardcore groupies of Richard Castle heard the rumor. Whether he was overheard or the sentiment was implied from his grief, the rumor became fact, and fact became necessity.

The master of the macabre was at a funeral where his creation/inspiration was gunned down. If twitchy cops didn't unsettle the status quo enough, all the fanatics came out when Nikki Heat was shot. The regular fans were agitated. The friends of Richard Castle, from mayor to bartender, were silent as mice as the drama played out. Unbeknownst to the writer who caused it; he must be forgiven as the trauma hit him as hard and real as the unconscious woman whose future was in doubt.

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><p>Twitter: #NikkiHeat was shot!<p>

ReTweet: Did you hear rumor? #WriteRCastle said ILY to #NikkiHeat!

Facebook: OMG! The extraordinary KB was shot! Sending prayers to her and her loved ones.

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><p><strong>At the Hospital<strong>

The current battle ground smelled of antiseptic and body fluids. The hue looked like white had been bleached so often the shiny veneer turned dull grey. The toll exacted quelled all humanity. Rich and poor, man or woman, young or old, righteous or wronged, all of them came in with sirens wailing and flattened under the adversity.

Thrust into fleeting importance was a man already at the hospital. He was above thug status, but not polished enough to be considered a hit man. He was sitting there minding his own business, waiting indifferently to see if his associate lived or died when his insider view thrust him into his role.

He saw and heard enough. Peter was an ex con who lived the code of respect. Unlike the outside world where respect was earned, street cred demanded respect first, and then watched to see if you were man enough to keep it.

He didn't like what he witnessed. Code of the family said if you got shoved, you shoved back harder. When someone started something, you finished it. But the rules also said you don't fight in front of daughters and mothers and especially in front of cops that were wound a little too tight. The rules got a little murky to the obedient enforcer, so he reported back to Sal.

Sal Tenor was all kinds of pissed off. Peter's problem was to make sure he wasn't pissed at him. Common wisdom may advise against shooting the messenger, but mobsters like to blow off steam and their impulse control was questionable. One time Sal "The Temper" Tenor sent his guy after a schmuck who skipped out without paying his restaurant check. The bodyguard hauled the guy back and after the appropriate apology and restitution, then was sent on his way. Unfortunately the enforcer returned to his post smelling of sweat and interrupted the enjoyment of Tenor's meal. He hauled him into the kitchen, used a pressure washer on the sweaty man, and returned to his table for dessert. Sal loved the gelato. The bodyguard was black and blue all over his body for a solid week.

So Sal's threats to Peter were taken seriously. "Don't you ever question his balls! He chases murders for fun - without a gun - all to impress his girl. Richard Castle is a class act."

Pete was on thin ice for suggesting Castle should have decked the doctor who shoved him. Trying to put some distance between his slip of the tongue and the anger brewing, Peter asked for a repeat: "How did you meet this writer again?"

Sal loved telling this story. "Mr. Suit walks into the bar, buys a round for everyone. We're all eyein' each other wondering _what the hell_? Meanwhile he chats up the bartender 'cause that's the only one who'll talk to 'im. Explains who Derrick Storm is, leaves a few paperback copies around, and leaves. The guy came by next week, repeated the round of drinks, and told the best damn stories to the barkeep so that we couldn't help but laugh. He came by the following week only to find a crowd had doubled in size. Without a blink he buys a round for all the boys, shoots some pool and leaves. The following week, not only are all the boys there, but all their girlfriends came along. Now the guy really shines. He buys the drinks but what really gets us is how he charms our ladies. Now that takes balls! When big bruiser looks down on him and tells him to 'watch it' he smiled at him.

"So what does Mr. Brilliant do? Shakes Bruiser's hand, and _thanks_ him for talking to him. Then he sits the guy down, _buys him another drink_, and explains he just wants to get it right. Starts yakking with him about being an enforcer, if he'd use steak or frozen peas as a cold pack, whether he'd take his high school football ring off before he'd beat a guy, shit like that!"

"Bruce sat there dumbfounded and answered all his questions. I finally pulled the doofus away, the writer not Bruiser - nobody pulls Bruiser away from anywhere he don't want to go, and tried to scare some sense into the guy. He listens respectfully to my threats and says, 'The easiest way to make me go away is to talk to me.'"

"Promises to be careful about how he uses the info, never asked anything too pointed or incriminating, and is so damned happy about hearing what I got to say that I couldn't help but like the guy."

"He came 'round a few more times to check on some details for his character. Always bought drinks for the boys. Made a point of shaking hands and looking them in the eye. Think that's the last you're gonna hear from him? Nope. He comes around a year later with copies of the new book. Gives them to anyone who wants one. Even signed a copy for me. That man didn't forget how he got to where he is and I ain't going to forget him."

Sal chose not to make too much of the lady detective. That was too far above Peter's understanding. "What you need to know is that his woman is a straight arrow - we got no beef with her. I want to know why she was shot, who did it, and if they are coming back. Leave the pushy surgeon to me. Damn asshole!"

Lines blurred that day. Nikki Heat and Kate Beckett were both shot. Each one had an impact in very different circles on very different people.

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><p>ReTweet: #WriteRCastle left the hospital- #NikkiHeat must have died!<p>

Facebook: Some Dr. flew into a jealous rage and got into a fight with Richard Castle. The nurse said they posted uniformed officers at her door to keep them apart!

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><p><em>Author's Note: Sorry, but the 'at' symbol won't appear so I used # with the tweets. The Twitter and Facebook posts are intentionally a mix of false information and half truths. For story purposes, assume #WriterRCastle and #NikkiHeat are officially controlled by Castle's people, but the things written about them comes from people <em>_**not**__ in the inner circle of Castle and Beckett's lives. _

_ The mobster is from episode 1.10 _


	2. Battle Plans and Feints

The days blurred. Increments of its passage were measured in medical milestones. The drainage tube was removed. Blood tests came back normal. She could eat soft foods. IV fluids stopped. The first time out of bed. Bathroom privileges restored. The first cup of coffee that wasn't decaf. Very basic human functions were celebrated like a baby's first step, like new life, or life renewed.

Boundaries got established. The obligatory visits from fellow cops were discouraged. The only exception was Will Sorenson (their history had a new level of heartbreak to share.) The mountain of mail bringing get well wishes for Nikki Heat were boxed and put aside. To stem the tide of flowers, donations were made to the Johanna Beckett scholarship fund.

The tower of strength at the center of the decisions was James Beckett. From the minute he stepped between rivals during those first moments when death came the closest, he wrestled the tides towards life. Cursing the forces that took his wife and now came for his daughter, the man stood defiantly in the middle of the battle field. Every drink that he took during his last crisis fueled his resolve to have his family triumph in this one.

The man that won the heart of Johanna and raised a daughter as extraordinary as Katherine was bearing this crushing weight with fortitude. _That which does not kill us makes us stronger_. He allowed himself one unexpected ally beyond the purview of his daughter's knowledge.

Martha Rodgers was unlike him on a superficial level, but she had a commanding strength and fierce protectiveness for her loved ones. Now that included a certain woman named Kate. The mother and father quietly propped each other up.

"Darling, how are the arrangements coming?" Martha breezed into Kate's apartment. She had been coming over every night to visit with Jim and be a sympathetic ear.

His daughter's dwelling was convenient to the hospital. It reinforced Jim's resolve to give his offspring life again. "I think it will work. There is a really good rehabilitation facility nearby. It is one of those out of the way places the rich and famous escape to when needed. The commute won't be too bad from the cabin."

"Don't read more into this, but if money is an issue there are options." She tried to make the offer seem nonchalant. She bustled around Kate's apartment making the organic tea that she promised would help Jim sleep.

His voice betrayed a wistful edge. "We never touched Jo's life insurance money. Kate still has the trust fund from her grandparents. Money isn't a problem. I just hope that hiding at the cabin will be cathartic. It's a place full of memories."

The Broadway actress knew how to sell an emotion. "Don't you doubt it for a moment! Kate has never run from her mother's legacy. She may be private about who she shares it with, but her mother has made her a strong woman. You'll both need Johanna's presence to get through these difficult times." She brought their steaming mugs over and sat down. They didn't need to say anything. Just being there together and letting the masks fall away was enough.

Jim nodded, grateful for the support. He knew she was here to make sure the long hours at night didn't tempt him to the bottles of alcohol still in the apartment. He knew he wouldn't fall back, but he wasn't going to push away the good people in Kate's life. He looked guilty and his eyes couldn't meet hers. "I don't know why she told him to give her space. Rick is exactly who she needs to make her smile. He's been by her side through so much, I hate to see her walling herself off from him of all people."

Martha waved a hand dismissively. "Don't read too much into it right now."

"Laughter is the best medicine. She needs him even if she does have an arrogant and self absorbed cardiac surgeon as a boyfriend." Jim wanted Martha to know his choice.

Martha hid her agreement, "Maybe she is too vulnerable and my son is too overpowering. They make their relationship so complicated."

The elders shared a sad smile born of too much experience and the realization that younger generation had to learn it the hard way.

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><p>Tweet: #NikkiHeat was wearing body armor. She's really OK!<p>

Facebook: Show your support for the NYPD - give blood.

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><p>Jim commanded the resources at his disposal with ease. "Lanie, have you talked to Kate about what to pack for her?"<p>

She smiled at the elder Beckett. "All taken care of, Papa Beckett. We figured out PJs and clothes that will be easy for her to get on and off. We talked about what to wear for physical therapy and that heels are not cabin friendly!"

Jim smiled at the levity. "Did she request anything special? Like books?" He was hopeful.

Lanie's smile was now false, but it stayed in place. "She said 'no' to the books. She claimed there is a cute little library in the village that will be a nice place to escape to."

The books got her through dark times before. Not wanting them now was a bad omen. He pressed forward, "Oh, okay. Are you sure you don't mind making the drive?" Jim was respectful about her colleague's busy lives, but he needed their support.

"Mr. Jim, there is _nothing_ in this world that will keep me from making a regular pilgrimage up to see my girl. I know she will put off seeing a doctor if something came up, and I am going to keep a close eye on her recovery."

He nodded gratefully. "I appreciate this more than I can say. One of my fears about leaving the city was taking her away from her support system."

The short woman got serious. "She seems to want to run away right now. Regardless, we will go to the ends of the earth for her. Detective Esposito and I will make the first trip up there together. He wants to have a friendly chat with your local law enforcement officials. You just do what you need to bring her back from this."

Jim renewed his vow. "With every breath I have left in my body, I will fight to make her whole again." He shook off the talons of darkness and cleared his head. "Speaking of the detectives, I need to chat with them." They were going to advise him on which ammunition to bring along. He taught his daughter to shoot all those years ago. He had a hunting cabin in the woods for a reason. He also had a therapeutic refresher course at the shooting range with Detective Ryan this week. He nodded for Dr. Parish to go visit his Katie while he walked off to find her colleagues.

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><p>Beckett's coworkers didn't hold back much from her father, but they were going to keep this development from him.<p>

"Beckett's getting death threats? Two of them? Why are you just now telling us this?" Josh turned the paper threats over to her fellow detectives.

He ran a tired hand over his face. He'd been in surgery for hours. This past week had been hell on earth for lots of reasons. "They aren't threats against Kate per se, they're directed towards me. That's why you didn't get them immediately. It's not the first time and it won't be the last time I've gotten them. Per procedure, the secretarial staff gives them to hospital security. I just found out." They were several days old and nothing bad had happened.

Esposito finished reading them and studied Josh. The first one was inelegant and blunt: "_If the Detective dies, so will you_." A deranged fan of Nikki Heat was probably responsible. Really, who cuts letters from magazines to paste to a crisp white sheet of paper and then deliver it to a hospital full of surveillance cameras? It was something you'd see in an old Hollywood movie. The threat against Josh's life if Kate died was unexpected, but it didn't really bother Javier. He passed it over to his partner with an indifference that was obvious.

The other one… the opposite threat, well, that was the one that worried the dark detective. "_Let her die and get 50 grand. No joke. Just help nature take its course. _You've got shit like this before?" Esposito growled.

"Yeah, a lot of relatives want their family members to go to their reward in the sky so they can have the reward here on earth doled out. They don't mind sharing when the pie is large enough. I know that's not the case here, but I've seen it before." Davidson shrugged. He often saw the best and worst of human nature. This week was all about the worst.

Esposito heard a lot of cold ruthless shit in his days, but damn. Without a normal motive they had to consider fanatics in love with Richard Castle and the usual herd of crazy people to throw into this volatile mix. The deeper terror nipped at the back of his mind. What if it was from the Dragon? What if this was a real offer and it was going to be made to a nurse or an orderly? He waved off whatever Josh was about to say and left with the letters. He wanted to get busy doing something, to focus on something besides Beckett's struggle to recover. Focus on something manageable unlike her shooter getting away.

Josh turned to the person left before him.

Kevin Ryan tolerated Josh better. Beckett made her choice and he wasn't one to question love. "We are counting the days until she's back at the precinct." Being an optimist by nature was what helped him cope with the darkness of his profession.

The boyfriend's silence spoke for him.

The Irish detective called him on it. "Man, being a cop is who she is. Hoping she doesn't make it back to the job would devastate her."

"Ironic that I admit not wanting her to be a cop just as I find myself needing one." Josh was a man of connections. So when he needed to call in a favor, he had options. Usually.

He _had_ a great connection in the NYPD, but that got shot down when his girlfriend did. Lots of things had changed this week. His Harley motorcycle was stolen. That was annoying, but he could deal with it. He almost got mugged by some street thugs. This was NYC; it was to be expected. But things came in threes. This latest thing caused him the most consternation. Out of desperation he finally asked for help from her friend.

Kevin was a nice guy; he couldn't help but offer, "What do you need? Can I help you out?"

"Yeah, I've been dealing with credit card fraud. As soon as I cancel one card because of unauthorized charges, more bogus things show up on another one. The first round was stuff I didn't order, but then they started buying shit and having it shipped to me. I don't have time to keep chasing the boogie man. I'll pay a company to take care of it, but I need to know which one is reputable."

Ryan took down some basic info from the statements as the surgeon rambled. The short detective needed a little levity and took the opportunity to tease the tall Adonis. "Well, hey, they knew you were into bikes so all the charge got past the security algorithms.

"Yeah, right. A vintage moped, biker Ken doll, Orange County Chopper pinball machine, pink leather boots and an electric scooter. Those hardly qualify as 'bike related' stuff. How do they justify the Disney World vacation? Because if I was going to take a vacation, it wouldn't be to a theme park. I get free trips to conferences all the time. I'm out of the country so much that the last thing I want to do is hop on an airplane and go to a kid resort."

The detective tried to placate the doctor. "Hey, go spend some time with Beckett and get yourself a decent meal. I'll look into things."

"Hell, I can't even go out to eat. All my cards get declined whenever I try to use them. They only work for the bad guys. I was carrying extra cash, but then I almost got mugged. I was riding my motorcycle until it got stolen, so I only carry enough for cab fare. This is a new depth of hell and I'm already at the breaking point."

By mutual consent neither man talked about the thousands of dollars in phone sex charges and kinky apparel that were also showing up. Dr. Davidson was having a really bad week. Really, it was a cruel twist of fate that it occurred the same week as his girlfriend got shot. It had nothing to do with the fact he lost his temper and pushed Richard Castle.

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><p>Tweet from #WriteRCastle: Due to recent heartbreaking events, I won't be tweeting for a while.<p>

Retweeted 41319 times.

Facebook: Keep up the prayer vigil!

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><p><em>Author's note: This where the story really starts and this is where I started having fun with it! It would never occur to Dr. Motorcycle Boy that the timing was possibly more than coincidence. While it might occur to Ryan &amp; Espo, they have too many other things on their mind at the moment. Poor Josh!<em>


	3. Behind Every Good Woman

ReTweeted: #NikkiHeat is missing. Tweet any sightings!

Tweet: #NikkiHeat wasn't shot. She's pregnant! Won't be back for 6 more months!

#NatalieRhodes Tweet: The real #NikkiHeat will be back. Rehab takes time. Voice of experience here.

Facebook: Richard paid for her recovery at some swanky secret spa. That's why she isn't around and they aren't together right now.

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><p>"You have 1 message." The automated voice contrasted with the pissed off recording of a very scary Dr. Parish:<p>

"_First you dump Castle from the hospital bed. You never have much to say to the boys. It's been weeks since you called me. The only reason I know you're back in the city is Jim told me when I called the cabin. You can run but you can't hide from me. **Call me** girlfriend." _Beckett ignored it. She was about to come out of hiding, but it was on her terms.

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><p>Madison Queller was engaged. The celebratory party at her restaurant, Q3, was the first event Kate ventured out to all dressed up since being shot. The first celebration that she was alive enough to focus on someone else's life. The first time she wanted to feel feminine since her body image altered. The first time she had a role to play other than heal and hide.<p>

Ironic that her first role after a brush with death was to threaten Maddy's fiancé. If he didn't treat her right, well, he didn't want to find out about Beckett's steely resolve. There was no brother or father figure to scare the daylights out of the reformed playboy. Maddy's father was a persona non grata and she had 2 younger sisters. The maternal grandfather who was going to walk her down the isle was sweet and gentle and loving. Ok, he was also hard of hearing, raucous in his humor, paunchy and bald, but Maddy loved him and he was perfect for the ceremonial role. He was sure to have a joke to keep her from tearing up right before the big walk down the isle when overwhelming emotions might spill into tears and make less than flattering processional pictures.

The role grandpa Quinn was not up for was reminding the handsome stud that despite his virility, he needed to have eyes only for Maddy. He needed to be as in love with her 25 years from now as he was the night he proposed. He needed to learn that every time he saw a NYPD officer, that Madison had friends that were watching over her. That was Kate Beckett's unofficial role in the engagement of Madison Queller.

Kate sauntered up to the handsome man and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek.

He jumped back, not expecting any other female to be so forward with him at his engagement party. His face puzzled as he tried to figure out the modelesque woman before him. Her features were familiar, but her name escaped him.

"You must be a friend of Madison's that I haven't met yet. I'm Thomas Holder."

She gave him the "no shit, Sherlock" look.

"Right, there are enough pictures of the happy couple here that a stranger wouldn't have any trouble recognizing me." He waited for her to offer her hand to shake. "You are…"

"Your worst nightmare." She ran her hands up and down his arms, feeling his discomfort through his suit.

He grinned without realizing how the intimate scene would look to someone watching. "You're too beautiful to be scary." He scanned her body highlighted by the midnight green dress.

"I look like death warmed over. If you won Ms. Queller's affection, you must have better lines than that. Come on, Casanova. Don't be stupid or I'll think you aren't worthy of her."

His face lit up at the challenge. Then his eyes went wide and his features suddenly sagged. After a swift glance he averted his gaze.

"Ah, good, you recognize me." The clue was when his eyes dropped to where he thought the bullet wound was.

He forced a mask over his discomfort. "I'm sorry for, uh, um… I'm glad you're ok." Really, what does one say to a police officer specifically targeted for death at a cop's funeral?

"Told you I was your worst nightmare!" She got a weak, but genuine grin for her efforts.

"It means so much to Maddy that you are here to share in our happiness. In light of your recent tribulations, it tells me how close you two are." He leaned closer to her, instinctually wanting to protect her.

She tapped down her anger from pissed to miffed. She didn't want people to coddle her because she was back from a visit with the grim reaper. "Consider me the undead coming back to watch over Madison." She stared hard at him.

He stared back. What does a polite person say to that? "You have a macabre sense of humor." He offered honesty.

"I am not joking. I'm deadly serious." Her narrowed eyes backed up the words.

Disbelief, surprise and understanding were a few of the emotions the detective was able to catalog.

A slow nod and more honesty was his defense. "Oh, this is the '_If you hurt her I will kill you speech._' You're a homicide detective. I seriously doubt I have too much to worry about."

Her voice was low and menacing, "Because I am a homicide detective, you have _a lot _to worry about. I'm not squeamish about death. I don't even have to boast about pulling off the perfect murder because I know all the right people to cover my tracks." She paused and let that sink in as she caressed the back of his hands with her thumbs.

Beckett's willowy frame was about as intimidating as a sapling that hadn't been watered in weeks. Ignorance was bliss for Tom. He had no idea the number of ways she could kill him. He processed what she said, realizing this was a woman who wouldn't act rashly. She also would _never_ forget. He knew enough of her history to know that. He swallowed despite the dry feeling in his mouth.

She reemphasized her threat. "Also because I am a _homicide_ detective, my only decision to have someone do the deed for me would be which of my many, _many_ contacts to chose among." Her aloof indifference was as chilling as her words as she squeezed his hands -tightly - that she refused to let go.

An involuntary shutter ran through him and his golden tan was replaced by a ghostly pallor. Quietly he admitted, "OK, you win. I believe you, but you need to believe me. I will never hurt her like that. The last time I was a bastard and made her cry, well, it broke something in me. I never want to be that guy again. I've sowed enough wild oats to know how special my girl is and there is no one else for me. I believe in soul mates and I hear you believe in deep and everlasting love. There are enough pitfalls in the world without hurting the woman I love more than life itself. You may not believe that men are capable of that _yet_, but it is true of me."

Kate Beckett flinched at his subtle references to her relationship with Castle as seen through Madison's eyes. Was everyone in her world on his side? She gave this guy her first genuine smile. "Nice try at distraction. As long as you understand me, I'll let this drop."

"Loud and clear, Kate. Thanks for caring about her so much. And even though I don't know you very well yet, I'd like you to count me among the legion that would do anything for you."

Becks merely nodded at his sentiment and tried to steer things back to her agenda. "What I want most is for you to love Mads and take care of her forever."

His response came in the form of a hug accompanied by a whisper in her ear, "We bad boys can reform. I promise with all of my heart that I will never cheat on her."

Startled by the embrace, she finally put distance between them. "I should go find Maddy." She extended two fingers, pointed them at her eyes and then flipped them towards him. The I'll-be-watching-you gesture was received with a nod and a smile.

Beckett eased into a quiet alcove of the room and paused. She watched across the room as her friend interacted with a young cousin. The homicide detective was distracted by her own longings and missed the person coming up behind her. "You two looked quite cozy together. You kissed him and held him close while you exchanged quiet whispers."

Being a single woman who wasn't on the prowl she didn't bother to turn around. The voice was vaguely familiar, so whatever jealous relative was fishing, she let silence answer for her.

"Selective hearing can be an asset."

She sighed. She'd have to make this unwanted intrusion go away. All she really wanted to do was say 'hello and see ya later' to her friend and then leave. She turned to shoo away the speed bump. The barest flicker of surprise escaped before she schooled her features. "Things aren't always what they seem, sir."

"Truer words were never spoken." The African American man agreed with the spoken words and the myriad of unspoken references.

Beckett glanced around. One of his body guards positioned himself out in front of them, obscuring their encounter from the majority of the room. The other one stood at a discreet distance to the side, arms crossed, daring anyone to interrupt them. She ignored the trivial responses that would normally follow. Obviously he was in control of the conversation.

"Why are you surprised to see me here?" The deep voice matched his tall frame. The man commanded attention and answers.

"Being at Q3 for a private event seems like a missed opportunity when there are so many public ways to spend an evening."

"I like your candor. That doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me is that you are _here_." His eyes also ran over her slender frame.

Beckett gave a saucy smile. "Then you'll appreciate my predicament of getting free food that is worth eating."

His expensive suit and large frame contrasted nicely, so a small chuckle escaped. "My wife loves to come here because the food is sublime. Over the years she has become well acquainted with Madison. The love of my life asks so little of me, and I ask so much of her, that coming here tonight was not a _sacrifice_." He scrutinized her reaction to that last word spoken with deliberate emphasis.

"Behind every good man…" the platitude seemed appropriate.

He interrupted. "The reverse applies also; behind every extraordinary woman is a great man. Madison seems to understand that. What about you, KB?"

She reeled for a split second. Being addressed in a familiar manner by the Mayorof New York City about a not so subtle reference to Castle was the last thing she expected. The damn _mayor_ was at Madison's _engagement _party talking about _the love of his life _and waiting for her to respond. Damn she hated her life right now.

"Cupid's arrow missed my heart." She dared him to challenge her after that statement!

He laughed out loud. "Well played! Genuine humor is a rare commodity and a real skill. I admire you for it. I'd bet my last campaign contribution that a certain author's twisted sense of humor is something we both admire." He nodded at the small smile that appeared as she thought of Castle.

Then he frowned as she did. Mr. Mayor continued for his captive audience of one, "I admit I use him for my own ends and he reciprocates in kind. Perhaps we have that in common."

Was he referring to himself and Castle or her and Castle? Her mind whirled. Both? The man was skilled at delivering discreet messages.

"Regardless, I've relied on Rick's jokes and antics throughout the years. Who else gets away with calling me 'Big Cheese?' I especially enjoy our poker games. _I make time for him _in my busy life because I count him as a friend. _I take care of my friends_."

So why wasn't his tone overly friendly? She didn't have long to wonder.

"I'll let you get cleared for duty and settle back in. Then your promotion will come. I'm asking the commissioner to transfer you to my office as the official liaison between the NYPD and city hall."

"NO!" She blurted out her horror at the idea. Was this Rick's way of protecting her? She'd kill him - Rick, not the mayor.

"He knows nothing about this and I assume he will be equally upset for missing his playtime in the field." He paused to let her calm down. Another outburst might draw attention. "You are a high profile woman so going back to work as a _mere _homicide detective is a waste. Your every move in the future would be highly scrutinized and you can't ever work undercover. You'll have a much brighter future by working for me. You are smart, the media love you, and I need your candid insight as I gear up for a tough campaign for my loftier ambitions."

"I… Um." She caught herself. You don't tell the mayor a flat out 'no.' She needed some of that diplomacy he assumed she had. "Your offer surprises me. I need to focus on my recovery at present, but of course I am flattered that you think I would be an asset to your staff."

"Yes, your recovery comes first. Then we'll see where _everyone_ stands. I'll let you share the news with Rick." With a piercing glare that was at odds from the light and flattering conversation, he narrowed his eyes at her, willing that she understood the game afoot. Then he departed to resume his post at his wife's side with his body guards following.

Beckett forced herself to compartmentalize. She walled off the thoughts of Rick, Bob the mayor, and working as a media darling instead of a _mere_ homicide detective. Friendship. What a concept. She was here to threaten Maddy's lover. She was blindsided by an attack of seeming goodwill by Castle's friend. Anyone in their right mind would know how utterly deplorable she would find politics. Better not think what her decision would be if her hand was forced. Rick has a great sense of humor, and he'd love needling her about this. Too bad Beckett wasn't talking to him. That friendship was probably ruined beyond repair.

She forced her thoughts to Maddy's friendship; that was a much safer topic. Madison had the dual distinction of knowing Kate the longest and knowing her mother. She had been to the cabin as a kid and she visited Kate when she was recovering. Their old friendship had come back. The trauma of hearing about your friend gunned down over and over had been rough, and Mads didn't hold back in telling Kate about it. She'd been with Becks through dark times before, and she remembered the balance of pushing gentle support where needed, and pulling her through unspoken vulnerabilities.

At first the topic of Madison's wild and wonderful lover seemed at odds with Kate's recovery and confusing litany of men. But Maddy believed in keeping it real and living with gusto (which meant she and Becks had a history of some rowdy, youthful indiscretions). Mads believed in taking risks - it paid off with her successful restaurant and it paid off with her heart. Madison Queller lived every day as if it were her last even as she worked towards a better tomorrow. She got what was important in life even without living with the specter of death looming over her.

The friend noticed the faraway look and was drawn to her side. She stood in front of Becks and complied with her need for distraction. "My god, Tom was white. What did you say to my fiancé?"

Beckett forced a smile. "I'll look forward to hearing about his version the next time I can slip away to Q3. Right now I admit to being too tired to enjoy anymore celebrating. Goodnight, my friend." She hated playing the 'I am weak and recovering' card, but she couldn't take anymore tonight. God she was reeling.

"Always good to see you, Becks. Thanks for coming. It really does mean a lot to me that you were here for this." Madison's eyes were a little too shiny as she hugged her goodbye.

Beckett slipped into the night. While it was habit to catalog the persons she observed, now the paranoia was necessary. She studied those who were lingering in the area. A thug - not smart enough to be a professional killer, a paparazzi wannabe who didn't recognize her, a few middle aged woman hoping to get a glimpse of someone famous to talk about at lunch tomorrow. All clear. She hailed a cab and slipped into the murky night, but not into obscurity.

* * *

><p>Facebook: KB sighting at Q3. Why didn't RC go with her? If she's well enough to go to parties she is well enough to start 'dating' Richard!<p>

ReTweeted: Hey #NikkiHeat - Endorphins are good for you!

* * *

><p><em>Yes, I took liberties with Madison's story giving her an absent father and adoring fiancé who has his own playboy past. Let Becks watch and ponder that while she takes stock of her life. (This is my way of showing I'm a shipper!) Meanwhile KB can dish out her version of being a protective friend, but how does she do being on the receiving end of things? <em>


	4. Wonder Woman

ReTweeted: #HeatRises book signing by #WriteRCastle in Brooklyn, Queens, then Midtown!

Tweet: #NikkiHeat stays flexible for our writer! (The twitpict was of her in black yoga pants and hoodie. She hugged her mat to her hip as if it made up for the loss of her gun.)

Facebook: I heard she isn't going back to work as a detective. She's going to be an instructor at the police academy.

* * *

><p>Kate Beckett's days were so full she wondered when she ever had time to work. She had a mandatory number of psych evaluations. She attended the meager physical therapy sessions the department paid for (cutbacks hit everywhere). She had follow up visits with various doctors - the department representative, her personal physician, and the replacement surgeon Dr. Kovak (thank god he was in a different private practice than Josh).<p>

That's the demands other people placed on her. Then there was what she made herself do. She went to the gym to work out. All those quiet months healing left her stamina in question and her strength inadequate for the needs of her job. She attended a yoga class to stretch and help with regaining her balance. Castle might assert it was mental balance she sought, but he wasn't around to put such unsettling thoughts into her brain. He also wasn't around to whisper that she was keeping herself physically exhausted so the mental demons had no chance disturb the slumber when she collapsed into bed every night.

The phone startled her. She hated being jumpy. She checked caller id just in case. It was time for their regular call, but she took nothing for granted. "Hey Dad. Are you glad to be getting back to your normal routine and quit catering to every whim of your demanding daughter?"

"Katie, I will never get used to what passes as humor with you. You know I loved every minute we spent together at the cabin. I'm just sorry it came at such a high price."

"Sorry daddy. I know letting me go back out in the world is scary for you. Thank you for everything."

The childhood endearment was not lost on him. "I'm holding you accountable to the promises you made me."

"Yeah, yeah." She pretended to be in huff about it all when the truth was she would do anything to lift that weight he carried off his shoulders. "Life affirming moments instead of walling myself off. I went to Maddy's engagement party and spent the evening surrounded by the love birds and happy people. Does that suffice?"

"Was Rick there?" His voice was hopeful. Certain things he didn't try to hide and his views about the writer were a big one.

"No, it was by invitation only." Madison had strongly encouraged her to bring Castle as her 'plus one,' but Kate declined. Madison threatened to extend Rick his own invitation, but Kate predicted she would be 'indisposed' for the evening if she did. Katie tried to distract her father, "But if you're interested in celebrity sightings, I did chat with the mayor."

He sighed but let it go. He knew he had to pick his battles carefully. "I'm glad you and Maddy reconnected through all of this. She was a great kid and I loved it when she did back-to-nature with us."

"Yeah, who knew all those years ago that hunting morel mushrooms, catching fresh fish and eating venison stew was providing a basis for her culinary expertise?"

Jim smiled at the good memories. "She could never stay up late enough to go star gazing with us."

The daughter's sneakiness came through in her voice. "I never woke her up to join us. That was my special time with you. Mom never could keep the constellations straight, so it was just the two of us."

"I'm sorry I didn't think about doing that with you this summer. It would have been a perfect low energy activity to distract you from the difficult hours when you were trying to sleep."

The wistful longing in his voice was worse than the physical pain of her wound. "Dad, you were awesome at keeping my mind off, ah _things_. I didn't want to bask in the wonder of the universe then."

"When, Katie? The universe may be timeless but we mortals are not. Don't wait too long." He was proud of that nudge.

She sighed at the emotional burden her father claimed from the mess that was her life. Whatever she had gone through to get him sober, the balance was tipping and the role reversal was eating her up. Her father nursed her back to life, and he didn't want to stop with the mere physical recovery. Rebuilding her heart _emotionally_ had become fair game for him. "As a humble token of my recovery why don't I promise to go to the planetarium for my next forced-fun outing?"

"Yeah sweetie, that sounds perfect to me. Maybe a starlight evening under the moonlight will rekindle warm and wonderful feelings… Maybe you should plan on taking _someone_ with you. I want a full report!"

Evasion - she was a pro at it. "Will a verbal accounting do or are you going to make me practice doing paperwork and give you a written retelling?"

Each one of them chuckled at the other's agenda, but content to have simple sound of laughter reinforce the fragile bonds of life.

(…)

* * *

><p>Tweet: #WriteRCastle is too quiet! I miss his quirky twitter tidbits.<p>

ReTweet: Keep those donations coming for #NikkiHeat toy charity.

Facebook: Let's show Kate Beckett some love. She is collecting new toys to take to the hospital to donate to the children's ward.

* * *

><p>"Hey Ryan. Thanks for coming over."<p>

"Not a problem." He glanced at her thin frame, pallor, and the eyes that were too bloodshot for someone not working. He broke protocol, "How's the physical therapy going?"

She was surprised by the question. "Fine. I should be able to go back to work in a few weeks."

"Really?" Damn. He didn't mean it to come out as a question. "That's great. The precinct just isn't the same these days." He tried to reassure her. "No one suspicious hanging around your place. There was a pimply face nerd trying to look inconspicuous and some street scum, but no one worth worrying about."

Ryan let the unspoken question hang. Why did she call him over?

She waved her arm towards the dining room. Boxes of toys were on the table. Police Barbie, toy badges, play guns and toy cruisers of every vintage filled the table. Justice themed books and puzzles, action figures and superheroes (especially wonder woman) rounded out the selection.

He grinned widely, really rubbing it in, "Finding your inner child is good."

Her glare was less effective these days.

Ryan wanted to stay on it until he made her crack a smile. "I never pictured you as the kind of girl that played with Barbie dolls. My mistake." He almost got a picture snapped on his phone as blackmail before she gave him a (mostly) playful smack.

"Damn social media sites," she grumbled.

"Let me guess, your maternity leave is no longer a secret?"

"Ryan, I swear if you don't zip it I will kill you and plead PTSD!"

He smirked as her smile broke through. "You know I follow cyber stuff. I've seen the posts about you. Sorry, I didn't know it wasn't your idea to collect toys for hospitalized kids."

"I love the idea too, but I want to be in control of my cyber life. Can anything be done to shut down these erroneous reports about me?"

He shook his head sadly. "You know we can't shut them down. You won't like the obvious fix."

"No I am not going to waste time sending out tweets and get an official Facebook page so fanatics can get accurate information about me."

"Have Castle's people handle it for you."

"No!"

Ryan sighed. "Wait until it blows over." It was the lamest option, but Beckett was good at biding her time.

"It won't blow over."

"Sure it will. Once you're back to work the publicity will dwindle down. Until then I'll set up alerts and keep an eye out for false info." He was willing to correct the erroneous information. He'd do anything to help her. Actually he was having a little fun with this.

She hated to burst his bubble. "Ryan, this is bigger than what you can handle while you are trying to work a real job." She bit her lip then handed him the letter she found slipped under her door.

_Dear Kate Beckett, aka the extraordinary KB,_

_You need an image boost so we are here to help. Please tell us where you want your next request for donations to be made. Name your favorite charity and we'll make it happen. Perhaps Healthcare for unwed Mothers might be interesting? I didn't think you'd answer before we demonstrated our reach with the toy donations, so I know we have your attention now._

_Just in case you are tempted to blow us off, let me tell you what I have planned in that case. We will publish the precinct address and say you'll send out publicity photos if the fans send a self-addressed stamped envelop. Then the regular yoga class you attend will become a book signing. My favorite is telling touching stories about your visits to the hospital to encourage other patients. You'll feel too guilty to take the public credit without actually going... _

_So every moment the legion of fans for Richard Castle are watching you. Of course, we know you need a reputable way to contact us, so use official channels._

_Fans of Jamison Rook_

Damn! Kevin Ryan sat down on the nearest chair. "You're being cyber bullied? Beckett, this is calculated and deliberate." He wasn't sure how deliberate because he was used to trying to see patterns even if none existed.

She shrugged. It wasn't on the level with death threats and she felt lame sharing it with a fellow detective.

Ryan swallowed, debating whether to verbalize what they both wandered. "This kind of behavior is a hallmark of the younger generation. Is there anyone under the age of 30 that you've pissed off?"

Beckett appreciated his opening, "No, I can't imagine Alexis doing this. I can understand her fear for her dad being so close when I was shot. She's mature and would calmly tell me to stay away from her father. She wouldn't play some sick mind control game with me." Kate sat down trying not to look bothered by any of it.

"Yeah, I agree they are who they claim to be. Each fan base of Rook, Heat and Castle is a little different. They identify with Rook so probably more women, but of all ages. You can always rile up the Nikki Heat fans in retaliation. Or bring out the big guns and get the Castle fans to bully back." He rubbed his hands together like it was a military campaign and they were deciding the fate of armies.

"I can't ask him for help of any kind. Once those floodgates open I'll lose all control over my life. He'll mean well, but he will steamroll over my wishes. Every aspect of my life will be up for debate - food, rest, physical therapy…"

Kevin Ryan could see cracks in her armor. He hadn't been talking about Castle, just about Castle's fans with a meaningless, fun banter. She's the one who brought up the man. He could see her point and well imagine how Castle would use a bulldozer when a deft touch was needed. Beckett asked for his help and he would come through for her on this. Especially since they were failing miserable where it really counted. "Considering the reach of cyber space, this is a pretty small outpouring. I think I can manage to find the key players and dissuade them from continuing."

Beckett looked away. This was even harder to admit. "The majority of donations were sent or brought directly to area hospitals. These are the things charged to my credit card and shipped here."

Ryan was stunned. He insisted on absolute confirmation, "Someone hacked your credit card info and used it to buy toys? And they sent them to you?"

She didn't look at her fellow detective.

"Obviously you disputed the charges and cancelled the card?"

"I cancelled the card." Still refused to look at him.

_Metal fatigue… _When metal had flexed so often it lost its strength and came apart. That's the thought that jumped in his mind. Maybe he meant mental fatigue. Why wouldn't she do the obvious and easy fixes? He had to take care of this for her. He quickly sorted through the options left. This one had flaws, but it was the best he could offer.

Ryan hesitantly shared the background. "Ah, Josh had the same problem. Someone hacked his accounts and he asked me for help."

Her eyes were wide in surprise. She didn't know.

He continued quickly before she started interrogating him and took control of the information flow. "It wasn't designed to steal from him as much as to mess with him." No way he was going to tell her it was a payback for pushing Castle when she was in the hospital. No way he was going to tell her all Josh had to do to fix it was apologize to Castle in some Italian Restaurant. No way this was a random happening to Beckett.

Ryan continued speed talking. "You can pay some company to handle it, or, well, there's a guy who hacks the hackers and steals the information back. I checked him out. He is a vigilante with his methods, but he is absolutely honorable about keeping his word."

"What's his name?"

"Robin Hood." He shrugged at alias.

"Where do I find him? Sherwood Forest in England?"

"The Old Haunt."

"NO! I am not involving Castle."

Ryan defended his plan. "This isn't using Castle. The hacker works as a bartender because the only one who would give him a job was Castle. He used to be an information and technology specialist for a hedge fund that went belly up in the recession. He played a part in a lot of people loosing their life savings and he went to jail for his part in it. He also feels like shit about it, and the cyber retaliation is what he does as penance. Actually he is a little fanatical about his views of right and wrong, but once he gives his word it is as good as gold."

Beckett's shoulders slumped. "This is my only option?"

"No, you vetoed all the better options." He gave her an encouraging smile. "Change your mind?"

"The only thing I am changing my mind about is where these toys go. I'll hold them back and donate them to charities at Christmas time. Thanks Ryan."

He was a detective, so he prompter her, "What is it, Beckett?" He saw the way she looked every time Castle's name came up.

"What would you do? If we got together, and then, you know…?" She watched him closely to gage the truthfulness of his response.

"If _we_ got together? Beckett, maybe you forgot I'm with Jenny." Humor was the way to go with Beckett. It gave her a chance to back out of the question.

"Ryan…" Her lips snaked into a brief smile. She modified the inquiry but the intent was the same. "If Castle dumped us to move to England to write James Bond novels, what would you do?"

Damn. Maybe she was still on pain meds. "If Castle dumped **us** I'd post every embarassing picture of him from the last 4 years on the internet. If he dumped **you**, hypothetically, as an officer of the law, I'd predict there would be an unsolved murder even though my alibi would be a little shaky." He met her eye. No body was going to break Kate Beckett's heart after all of this.

**"Ryan**…" She could say his name so many different ways, and he always knew what she meant. Kevin realized what it must be like to be 'Castle' all the time.

Too heavy for her to hear. He fell back on his geeky, playful side. "Okay, maybe I'd mess with him in my own special way first." He waited until she met his bright blues. "When I tell you **not** to think of a fluffy white bunny, what happens?"

Intrigued, she nodded for him to continue.

"When something gets into your head, sometimes it is really hard to un-think it."

Kate blanched at that. Did he know? Did he hear? Did Rick tell him about the ILY?

Ryan continued unaware of the nerve he struck. "If I wanted to mess with Castle I'd hack into his manuscript. I'd find every sex scene and replace the names." He paused as his evil grin took over. "For example, Jamison would become Ashley and Nikki is Alexis. He'd never be able to write a sex scene again without thinking of his daughter. He'd have to write children's books instead!"

Laughter. What a glorious and unexpected sound. Kate really shouldn't be laughing, giggling at such a devious and twisted thought. When she forced herself to stop the mirth she admonished her colleague, "Ryan…"

"Us quiet ones are the people to watch out for! Anyway, all in good fun just to make you smile." No one would believe he made her giggle. She really must be on pain meds.

Beckett's request was soft, "Ah, please don't say anything to anyone about all of this."

"No worries. Jenny has my head so full of wedding stuff I can barely concentrate on the job." He showed himself to the door and heard her on the phone as he left her apartment.

"Hey Maddy, I need to go out for a drink. Can you get away for a few hours?"

* * *

><p>Twitter: I saw NikkiHeat on her Harley!<p>

Reply: Maybe she does have a death wish. Motorcycle = Donor cycle

Facebook: Castle cheers his mother on Broadway.

Response:He looks so sad all the time. It's the only thing he has left to cheer about.

Response:Not true, he has his daughter. What's her name?

* * *

><p><em>Author's note - The scene kept in mind that Ryan doesn't know Beckett has <strong>not<strong> seen Castle, but Ryan knew approximately when she was due to go back to work. Again, poor Josh.…the public humiliation of being forced to apologize instead of doing what was right. What a contrast to the class act known as Castle!_


	5. Opposition Headquarters

ReTweeted: #WriteRCastle stopped following #NikkiHeat in Twitter. WTF does that mean?

* * *

><p>The Old Haunt was clear. Castle was no where in sight. She sat at the bar and looked around, accessing the other patrons. No hired hit men here.<p>

"What can I get you?" The barkeep was an average looking joe except his look was too pristine: his white shirt was starched with crisp lines.

"Surprise me with a nice British beer."

He smiled as he brought her usual drink to her. It was not English ale.

"Are you in the habit of ignoring what patrons ask for?"

"Bartenders are good at listening. You asked for one thing but you want something else."

It had been a while since she matched wits with anyone. "What do I really want?"

His eyes flickered to photo of a young and upcoming author. He answered her next unspoken question and didn't flinch from her glare. "You're here to find out if Robin Hood will help you out."

Beckett rolled her eyes at Robert's name tag. "Try not to be so transparent. It takes away the mystery and aloofness you're going for. Ryan gave you a heads up that I was coming when he called to see if you were working today."

"Yep, so how long do we have before whomever you're waiting for shows up?"

She was surprised. She must have glanced at her watch more than she realized. "Half hour."

Both sets of eyes went to the door as another patron stepped in. It was an old man who looked like he spent a lot of time in bars and very little time in the light of day.

He ignored the old geezer for a moment. "Then I'll make the most of the time we have. I don't have to figure out who is hacking into your accounts. It's me and I plan on continuing until you get your head out of your ass." With that he walked to the other end of the bar to serve the man with a wisp of white hair.

Beckett reeled. Josh had a similar problem. This guy obviously had strong feelings of gratitude towards Castle. Ryan described a "fanatical" sense of right and wrong. He displayed cunning and intelligence. Had a background with technology and life altering stint in prison. Beckett had to tread carefully.

Upon his return she asked bluntly, "Just how do I prove I've got my head out of my ass?"

"That is a rather subjective point. For me, well, I gauge it solely by the look on my boss's face. By whether he has 2 drinks or more. A lot more. By whether he is alone and wandering aimlessly, or busy working and writing."

"That's so unfair to lay on me." Despite sounding weak, it was also true. Nothing in her life was easy. Just getting out of bed hurt. Her chest ached from more than healing scar tissue. She tried to manipulate him with eye contact.

"Yes it is, right now. So consider this a warning shot. I know all about regrets in life. Second chances…"

If she could do real, so could he. "I don't have a lot of friends left. So when Richard Castle gives me a second chance out of the goodness of his heart, well, I take notice. No one else thought I was worth it. But that wasn't enough for this guy. He gives me a loan to get my life back on track. Told me he doesn't care if I ever repay it, but he doesn't want it to feel like charity. He asked around and found me a room to rent from a nice older couple. Claimed I would do them a favor by distracting them from how much they missed their son in the army overseas. I owe this guy so damn much, and it tears me up to see him hurt by you."

Kate literally sagged. The shoulders slumped and eyes cast downward, she pleaded, "What has he said?"

He snorted. "You think the confessional is sacred? Lady, bartenders hear all the stuff people are too embarrassed to tell a priest. I'm not telling you anything you don't know. But you better be clear about this: You are hurting Rick. Rick is my friend. I will do anything for my friend. You've got a reprieve, but use it wisely."

Rob slipped out from behind the bar to check on a table of ladies. They acted like out of town tourist looking at a map, the photographs of famous people on the wall, and their smart phones. The bartender returned and busied himself getting their drink refills ready. In a conversational tone he offered, "I asked for a reprieve from the erroneous cyberspace chatter. They agreed. Any message?"

Beckett looked up in surprise. She glanced at the table of middle age women and saw them differently. They were in a strategy session dividing up locations and times to follow her. They nodded to her and she looked away and took a sip of her drink. She was itching to take her anger out on someone, and 3 sexually repressed middle aged women who fantasized about Castle, aka Rook, were easy targets. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped her drink.

"I wouldn't," the barkeep and keeper of secrets cautioned softly. "They are more dangerous to you than I am. There is a lot more of them, too, than what you see here. Pimply faced boys who fantasize about you and legions of fan fiction writers who look for inspiration in your every move just like the real deal. Most of Castle's fan are good folks, but the ones you see here are hard core and they have agenda."

Beckett felt beaten. The game was afoot before she even knew she was loosing. She won't go back to him until she was whole again. The scars were still red and ugly. The emotional wounds were just as raw. "What is this place? The underground headquarters for Richard Castle fans? How many divisions are there? What's next? Wedding announcements?" The naked ache showed in her features. "I'll play whatever hand I'm dealt and this isn't a story with a guarantee of a happy ending. Regardless of what the adoring public wants, real life is messy."

Rob looked guilty for the first time. He was expecting her to threaten him right back or to cajole his boss into reprimanding him over these attacks. Maybe he even hoped she was weak enough that she just needed a nudge to fall into the arms of Rick. He wasn't expecting stubborn and inconvenient truth. "There is something in that. Lots of fans come here trying to get a picture with him or an autograph from him. Lots of Mr. Castle's friends come here because they get discounts. Hell, even Ms. Rodgers drinks here. We get everyone from Broadway stars to washed up old mobsters." He shrugged and took the drinks over to the table of ladies. By the time he came back to the bar, Madison had found Kate and was giving her a big hug.

"Let's go get a table where we can talk privately." Becks steered Mads far away from the bar and other patrons.

"You bet. I can't wait to tell you what kind of impression you made on Tom!"

"Mads, does he really think I'd have him killed?"

"He knows he doesn't want to ever test your resolve. Better than that, he really opened up to me and we had a great conversation about our expectations and pet peeves. I know men hate talking about feelings and such, but god it helped out both of us. All thanks to you!"

Beckett had her first genuine smile of the day. Rob came over to get Madison's drink order and bought a bowl to the table. "This is the last of the mixed nuts for a while." He gave Beckett a slight nod towards the ladies that indicated her message had been received, and a small smile meant to reassure her that the reprieve was in place. He completed his metamorphosis from castle guard back to liquid apothecary and went to get their drinks.

"Mads, what would you say if the roles were reversed?"

"I know you broke up with Dr. Hunk, so I don't have to threaten to hurt him. I hope this means it's time to have the talk with Rick?"

"God no! Just an idle curiosity. What would you do if he hurt me?"

"I'd kill him."

"Right." The sarcasm was easy to discern. "Let me guess. You'd grab a chef's knife and fillet him."

"More like castrate him and serves his balls to him on a platter!"

Becks gave a wistful smile. "He loves fine dining."

"Everybody has a breaking point. I bet you know better than anyone… Given the work you do. Shit, I've thought about it." Madison was trying to be a mirror for Kate.

She gave a perp stare to Maddy.

"Don't believe me? Puffer fish improperly prepared is my weapon of choice. I will _not_ risk exotic delicacies like that in my establishment, but I can get it and use it as a garnish that will make sure the Last Supper comes to pass."

Kate, the friend, was horrified. Beckett, the detective, was confident Lanie would find the COD and attribute it to the proper poison no matter how obscure it may seem to Maddy. She merely shook her head at Madison. Beckett may be tired of superficial interactions after her own wake up call, but hearing a friend admit to murder plot was a little too real.

She had to back her friend down. "So if Rick Castle and I were a couple and the tabloids caught him cheating on me, you'd do him in?" Kate needed to hear that Maddy wasn't serious.

Maddy got _more_ serious. "He would pay for it."

"I am so glad I do _not_ believe you. I am also glad you will never be put in that situation."

"Kate, you need to get real. About Castle, but that's old news. What I want you to know right now is just how damn much you mean to me. To a bunch of people. It didn't take a bullet whizzing through you to know I want you alive and well. While you may be satisfied with just being alive, I'll make you this promise: your happiness is important to me. If Rick ever cheated on you, I'd get him back."

"How?" The question came out in spite of her. The tough woman was superseded by the one who knew what deep and lasting love looked like. Her mother and father shared it. She longed for it yet denied it.

"Social castration." The women looked at each other and burst out laughing despite the underlying vow of determination.

The restaurant owner's voice got an octave lower and she broke off eye contact. She was being truthful in spite of herself. "There is a blacklist everyone in the food industry honors. If a name gets on it, especially a celebrity, they have a very difficult time dining out. They won't get a reservation. Even if they get in the door under someone else's name, they will have shitty service. When they decide that delivery is their lifeline, the food suppliers put the pressure on the local take out eateries and even that avenue for daily sustenance dries up. It's been done. I've participated in freezing out a few bad apples that fell too far from the tree and wondered into my establishment."

Ms. Queller continued, "And I'd make sure that anyone that hurt you would suffer in whatever small and petty way I could. You don't have to worry about Castle. He loves you too much. I only wish I could get the bastard responsible for the literal hole in your heart. That's when the knife would come out to cut his balls off and shove them down his throat!"

Becks smiled at the sentiments of her friend. "You'll have to wait in line. I think there are a few cops who have first dibs on the dirt bag."

"What would you do to him?" Maddy sounded hesitant asking.

The question was simple and so was the answer. It would also surprise Maddy. "Put him in jail."

"Really? Becks, _really?_ That's the answer you have to give, but I know you would ache for more."

Why was this so unbelievable? "My mom was all about justice. So much so that getting an appeal for a man wrongly imprisoned, albeit a thug, was why she was killed. My life has been a search for the truth as an officer of the law. I am not about to defile her legacy or my life by going outside those boundaries."

"Becks, you're as solid as an oak. There's no one else like you."

After a short pause, Kate Beckett admitted some truth and gave a wicked smile to her friend. "That doesn't mean his life behind bars would be easy. There happen to be a few convicts who act like I am their favorite school teacher and would love to show me what naughty boys they are."

* * *

><p>Twitter: Why is #NikkiHeat more famous now than before she was shot?<p>

Response: You mean infamous. Fowl weather friends = misery loves company.

Facebook: I shot an arrow into the air… Long, long afterward in an oak I found the arrow still unbroken; And the song from beginning to end I found again in the heart of a friend.

* * *

><p><em>Author's note: The story is coming full circle - Madison's turn to dish it out while the opposition is giving Beckett the "if you (continue to) hurt him we will…" and showing just enough of their hand to make it (hopefully) believable. Key point: Kate is asking her friends what they would do and they are giving her an answer. Whether or not they would do it isn't the point right now. Castle's friends are the ones making threats. The next chapter, well, it's long and heavy, so be forewarned.<em>


	6. Paper Death

Tweet: #WriteRCastle was in a charity poker tournament.

Response: I'd pay to play strip poker with him anytime!

Facebook: RC made it to the final table last year, but not this year. He supports literacy for kids. You can support it too!

* * *

><p>The black wreath was still on the door. She crossed the threshold and handed over the offerings to the woman still dressed in somber colors. Actually, both women were dressed for mourning but it was deliberate for only one of them. "The wine is for you. The bread is for the kids. It's brown sugar and cinnamon flavored."<p>

Evelyn Montgomery gave her more than a perfunctory hug. "It smells delicious. What bakery will I have to frequent once the girls get a taste of this?"

The detective mumbled the answer. "Homemade."

"Homemade Bakery? Where's that?"

"I made it. From scratch. For you guys." The younger woman was embarrassed at the surprised look.

"Kate Beckett bakes! Wonders never cease." The teasing tone broke through the awkwardness. Each woman took a moment to evaluate the other as they sat down in the living room together.

The detective never got a chance to pay a condolence call before she was gunned down. Sure she had paid her respects and accepted the honor of being a pallbearer, but she never had that vis-à-vis that she owed her captain's wife. No small amount of guilt threatened to spill out. Guilt for Roy's sacrifice and guilt over the secret that ensnared him. This is why Beckett built walls. Instead she shared, "My father insisted on healthy cooking from scratch this summer. Blame him for this new development."

"Your father wanted to recall smells from childhood when you were safe and happy and life was normal. Cooking from scratch is an act of creation. Or, re-creation in this case."

Damn. She thought it was because take-out wasn't convenient. She nodded with new understanding at the kindred spirit forged through tragedy. "Another one of his mandates is to have some fun. I promised him my next outing would be to the planetarium. Would the girls be interested in going? It would involve staying up past their bedtime and going out for ice cream."

The mother shared a genuine look of gratitude. "I'll ask. Thanks for thinking of them. Although I am afraid they might be getting spoiled with all the attention. Detectives Ryan and Esposito have been by to take care of a few things around the house and tease them about potential boyfriends. Richard Castle comes by to take the girls out or bring some neat, new gadget to give them."

"Roy made a point of gathering good men around him." Beckett missed those men more than she was willing to admit to herself, much less anyone else.

The atmosphere changed. "I know you must be sick and tired of answering the standard question of 'How are you?' so I won't ask."

"Meaning you don't want me to ask the same of you." They shared a sad look of understanding.

"Have you found that any semblance of a new routine that isn't gut wrenching yet?" It was blunt but honest.

She appreciated the kindred spirit even if her understanding came at a horrific price. "Yes, for the sake of the girls I've been very deliberate about a balance of letting go and making memorials at the same time. I won't ask if it ever gets easier."

"You do get used to it." It was the most honest encouragement she could offer. "Now that the rest of the well meaning masses have gone back to their happy lives, what unbearable task can I undertake for you? What is it that you can't bring yourself to do that needs to get done but you won't ask anyone to do? Cleaning out the garage? Donating his fishing gear to Big Brothers charity? Going through his office? Name it and let me take one more burden off your shoulders."

"Kate, you of all people don't have to…"

"Let me back into the world of the living. I'm sick and tired of being sidelined. Let me _do_ something." Her voice was soft. Her eyes were strong.

The widow's eyes were moist but her voice was strong. "Paperwork. You know how long these things can take. I can't take reading another death document and pretending to make rational decisions about it. The Judge is an old friend and still acts as a lawyer for Roy. He's handling his estate for me, but he insists on keeping me informed and having me look over things along the way. I know he is practicing due diligence, but I just can't deal with Roy's life being reduced to words on a page. Can you look things over, tell me if things are consistent with the way Roy would want, and then all I have to do is sign the papers?"

"Anything. Which Judge is it? Hopefully I know him so he will feel better about honoring your wishes and letting me act in this role."

Mrs. M pulled out a paper with a notary seal. She filled in the name of Katherine Beckett. "This should ensure you can. But it is Judge Markway and I know you've played poker with him." She fell into a memory since the past had a stronger pull these days than reality. "Roy always wondered if you let Castle win that night." The small chuckle was a tribute to better times.

She tiptoed a little further down memory lane, "Roy never wanted to dump darkness from his job on me, but he made sure to share all the good stuff. There was more of it than I thought. He had a gift for sorting out the pettiness and filtering light into our lives. There was even more antics to share once Rick starting working at the precinct. He said he kept him around for your sake, but I think it was for everyone."

They chatted about old times, better days. Both women mourning the loss and resolving to be strong to honor his legacy.

Evelyn was willing to do something her husband was never brave enough to do. She pushed instead of nudged, "Kate, even though my time with Roy was cut short, my life was better because he was my _husband_. You've had the sting of loss without the salve of love. Roy never had the guts to say it, but he hoped with all his heart that you and Rick would get together and give it a chance."

Now Beckett's resolve shook. Her well meaning but uninformed cupid-helper had no idea the Castle probably hated her at this point. Roy's departure was permanent, and every day that passed made it less likely she would ever redeem herself in Castle's life. Evade and ignore, that's all she had strength for at the moment. "I'll go see the Judge now. I have to get some paperwork from 1Police Plaza and the courthouse is on the way. Let me know what you and the girls decide about the planetarium."

She stuffed the document in her saddlebag and took off. Thankfully it was a beautiful day to ride. She missed having a car (police cruiser) to shepherd her through the traffic. She loved her Harley, but the motorcycle was limiting. She could only ride it on good days, carry a limited number of groceries, and it made her feel vulnerable. She used to feel strong and sexy when she rode. Never mind that the pain meds sometimes messed with her equilibrium. The bike left her feeling more tired than just slouching into the back of a taxi would.

Every moment of every day was a reminder of how much she lost when she was shot. Why she denied herself the knowledge she gained that day, the love she could claim, well, that was a mystery threatening to shake her very foundation.

* * *

><p>Judge Markway wasn't in court and he granted her immediate access to his chambers. He admonished his clerk that they were not to be disturbed under any circumstances and pulled out the file on the Montgomery estate. Obviously he expected her visit. "I drew up all of Roy's legal documents. His Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Financial Power of Attorney, and of course, Last Will and Testament. I trust your affairs are in order, Beckett?"<p>

She blanched. That was a damn personal inquisition. "The example of my mother's untimely passing made it abundantly clear how important those documents are." She evaded giving him a direct answer and let some hardness seep into her reply.

He responded in kind, "Too much death changes a person." He stared to make sure the rhetorical prose wasn't dismissed by her. "For example, the Gotham City Gang tried to play poker this summer, but there was Roy's _empty_ chair. And your potential death loomed too large over Rick to make him a worthy opponent. Alcohol has been known to loosen a man's tongue. He seems resigned that you are _dead _to him. Figurative for now, literal at some point in the future. So I ask again, are your affairs in order?"

Which part should she focus on? A normally reserved officer of the court spitting venom in her face? Another defender of Castle rubbing her nose in how she treats him? Perhaps her recent brush with death was no more than water-cooler conversation for people. Should she cave to the blatant nosey question that was about anything but interest in her well being? "By all means, don't hold back." She invited the Judge to have his say.

Anything but chastised, he continued, "Good, I won't. I don't know why the captain of the 12th precinct was _single_-handedly taking on 4 gunmen in a location that has connections to the case involving your mother. I don't know why Richard Castle's personality got darker with every day that passed even though your prognosis improved over the past 3 months. On either account I am suspicious about the role you played, or did _not_ play. When I look at the sum of all my fears, I am compelled to act."

He squared himself to her and let his voice get low and menacing. "I am going to do everything in my power to undermine your success as a detective. The prosecutor's office is with me on this and they going to balk on every case you send them. Your warrants will have to meet a higher threshold than anyone else. Your testimony in any courtroom will be challenged freely. It will be the worst kept secret that I am pissed off at you. Yes, I am willing to risk official sanctions and overturns on appeals. By the time those difficulties come along, I will have made your professional life a living hell."

She listened with horror even as she kept her mask in place. With lightening speed she put the puzzle pieces together. "So the mayor's offer to become a media darling is the carrot, and your warnings about resuming a role as a detective are the stick. I've had plenty of nighttime visits from ghosts; how many more warnings from Jacob Marley should I expect?"

"How many do you need? I admit to speaking to Bob, our Mayor. Beyond that I will caution you that rumors are rampant about you. While some rational person or persons are acting _for_ Rick, legions are ready to act _against_ you. The former is hesitant, willing to let you heal. The other, well, I ask again, not as a threat, but as a well placed warning, are your affairs in order?"

The judge had always been a straight shooter. Damn if she ever expected him to turn on her. "Yes. Just like Roy told me, 'There are no victories. There is only the battle.' I don't back down from a fight."

"Who else might get hurt in the crossfire?" He let the rhetorical question linger, then added, "Jamison Rook was happy to take a bullet for Nikki Heat."

He might as well have slapped her across the face because that's how badly it stung. "Thanks for your candor. I'll read over the documents for Mrs. Montgomery." She held out her hand for the file and backed him down from saying more.

She turned and left with her head held high and her heart breaking. Castle thought she was a dead man walking and she was denying him the right to share their last days together. No wonder anyone around him saw his heart breaking and thought she was being a bitch to him.

Getting shot was the least of her worries? Shit! Life was dark after her mother was murdered. She lost her father time and again with his alcoholic battles. He may have recovered but now her future was full of black holes waiting to suck the light out of her. Become a puppet for the mayor and stay away from working her mother's case? If she didn't, well, it was only a matter of time before she'd stop being a detective or was killed this time.

If she didn't make some peace with Castle, his friends were going to revolt. What part of her life was still whole? What she thought would make things easier for everyone proved to be making them harder. She tried to remember her altruistic motivation for pushing Castle away, but the reality was far from noble.

She sat in her dark apartment and pondered the mess she made of her life. Her apartment, her sanctuary from bombs and bullets no longer made her feel safe. For a while she pressed a toothpick into her door jamb near the floor every time she left. As long as it fell when she opened her door she knew no one had been there in her absence. She finally abandoned the practice realizing they didn't shy away from public execution. Besides, it didn't keep the demons away.

A friendly ghost from her past haunted her thoughts. This phantom suited the problems at hand more than her mother's spirit. Royce's violent end and his advice from the grave came back to haunt her, to caution her. It figured. Nightmares had been a feature of her life. Now her waking life was a nightmare and she felt the chill of the spirits around her. Watching her. Waiting for her.

She rasped out the whisper in the dark. "Hey Royce, I know you think Rick should be in my life. But all we seem to do is hurt each other. Last summer he cut me off. This summer I cut him off. What if I let him in all the way and he hurts me? Really hurts me. That's a fate worse than death…"

The silence surrounded her. The links of chain that served as a paperweight on her desk drew her focus. She smiled weakly as the thought popped into her head. "Go haunt Rick instead of me. Wait! That's what you'd do… You'd haunt him if he ever hurt me!" She laughed, letting some of the pent up tension drain away with the silly thought.

Then she pictured Roy getting in on the action. What a duo, Roy and Royce as apparitions inhabiting the ethereal space of Castle's life. Ghosts haunting Rick would be a welcomed inspiration for a plot device. That man could take anything and make it come out good. Why did he love her? Did he still love her? She pushed the thought away. What should she do? That was a practical question she could focus on.

* * *

><p>(flashback)<p>

_Dr. Kovak came back out when the patient was out of recovery after surgery. He was used to walking fine lines. The line between life and death. The line between hopeful and realistic. The line between stern admonishments to loved ones and comforting tidbits about the miracles of life. "Kate is out of surgical recovery and is being moved to a critical care unit. As you know, there were several close calls so far. It is far too early to give you a realistic prognosis. I need to be ready for every eventuality, so I'd like to know if she has any advanced directives about life support."_

_Jim answered, "I'm her father, and I can speak for her wishes if it comes to that, but I refuse to think about it now."_

_Lanie spoke quickly trying to relieve a burden for Kate's father, "Actually, you don't have to. Kate has multiple documents about her end-of-life wishes. She has everything from an old fashioned living will to a Health Care Proxy outlining her preferences."_

_The father stared hard at the best friend. The BF/ME stared at the doctor. The doctor stared at the father. The surgeon blinked first. So much for fine lines. This dynamic was built with stone walls a foot thick and surrounded by moats filled with fire breathing dragons. "OK. Turn copies of those in to the nurse's station. Someone will get you once she is settled." The doctor happily fled the scene._

_Lanie could see the bewildered expression on Jim's face. _

_Jim was crestfallen. "I didn't know about these papers. I guess I really don't know her wishes. She probably didn't trust in my recovery enough to know if I'd be sober. Hell, I guess I can justify her lack of faith that something like this would send me back to the bottle." He was sidelined on matters of life and death involving his only living relative, his only daughter, the only woman left in his life. His baby girl…_

_Before he could continue beating himself up, Lanie interceded. "I'm sorry she didn't discuss these matters with you. I know she carries around a lot of guilt that her chosen profession contributed to your battle with alcohol."_

"_We argued about that many years ago. I didn't want her to be a cop, but it wasn't the worst thing I could think of. Johanna noticed it first. Kate was fearless. Just like choosing a Harley Davidson motorcycle as her transportation of choice, she goes overseas to study in Russia. Not Paris or Venice, but Kiev. Johanna predicted her skills would make her recruited by some government agency." _

"_Kate had it all: top 1% of the aptitude tests, keen insight into human nature, beauty, and an unshakable sense of duty. Hell, I was the one who taught her to shoot and took her to martial arts classes. I thought it would help her intimidate her suitors into behaving. Our deepest fear was her being an agent in some far off land and never knowing what was happening to her. When Jo died I thought she'd run away from the memories surrounding her in New York City and put her skills and disarming good looks to use in ways I didn't want to imagine. Not knowing, not being there - again- would have been the worst. Worse than being a cop; even worse than this."_

_God he looked haggard. Lanie vowed she was going to do everything in her power to help Kate recover and then slap Beckett up side the head for making her have this talk with her dad. After a deep sigh she spilled the next blow. "Kate made me her primary advocate for health care decisions. You are listed as the __**second choice**__."_

_Jim started rambling, "That makes perfect sense. You are a doctor after all. Even Rick would be a better second choice than me. He's learned a lot because of the research he's done over the years. And he spends so much time with her he would know her wishes better than I would." There was no masking the heaviness in his voice. He looked down to hide his failure._

_Scary Lanie threatened the older man, "You stop that right now, mister! She did this because she was trying to protect you. She said a parent should never have to make decisions about ending their child's life. You helped bring her into the world and she didn't want you to have to play any role in ending life. She didn't list you as primary because she loved you too much to put you in that gut wrenching position." Tears were forming in his eyes. Lanie thought she was cried out, but raw understanding on Jim's face restarted her water works._

"_She made it very clear to me that your wishes would supersede any of her directives. She wanted to honor your needs but she was horrified at the thought of you being asked to sign some damn piece of paper giving permission to withdraw life support. Jim, I'm sorry you didn't get to hear these words from Kate."_

_All he could manage was a nod and a grateful squeeze of her hands. It said more than words. And it drew a line in the sand. Jim Beckett wasn't there the last time his daughter needed him. He damn well was going to be there this time._

_She heard all about it from Lanie. She wasn't even out of the hospital before Dr. Parish gave her hell for not discussing the important shit with her father. Kate tried to defend herself, but Lanie snarked a comment guaranteed to start a fight, "You never even introduced Castle to your father." _

"_So? I never introduced Josh to my father."_

"_Exactly! You never discuss the important shit. You'll survive a sniper attack and die of an ulcer."_

"_Geeze Dr. Parish, why did you bother doing CPR on me? I'm doomed." Okay, maybe that was going a little far based on the reaction on her best friend's face._

_Lanie gave as good as she got, "You don't get to die unless I say so. And if you keep that shit up I just might do you in."_

But that line of memories was just a distraction from the other bombshell the Judge dropped on her today. The one that floored her so badly she kept it carefully walled off until now. As the shadows crept slowly closer, she sagged at the responsibility. The judge handled all of Rick's end of life documents. And in a display of inappropriate disclosure and blatant emotional attacks, Judge Markway told her…

Best selling author Richard Castle named her, Katherine Beckett, as his advocate for end of life decisions. She would be the one to decide if he continued on life support or lingered for a few days after a feeding tube was withdrawn in a permanent vegetative state. For all the same reasons she didn't name her father, Rick didn't name his mother or daughter. Talk about 'til death do us part...' Could the man be any more clear about how he feels about her? God Almighty, the responsibility…

* * *

><p>Tweet: I saw #WriteRCastle zipping around in his red Ferrari! Alone…<p>

Facebook: KB is always on the go. Too busy to go back to work. I heard she is going to Chicago for cosmetic surgery to minimize her scarring.

* * *

><p><em>Author's note: Yeah, it's grim but my how it clarifies things. This is the first time someone is openly angry with Beckett. The judge is used to being a powerful man and he was a friend of Roy's. He threatens but that is all he does in this chapter. So KB is warned about looming consequences and the opposition is slowly building. Don't Hate Me!<em>


	7. Starry Starry Night

**Starry Starry Night**

* * *

><p>Tweet by #CapnLilMonty: I know a secret: #NikkiHeat is a great baker!<p>

Tweet by #12thMontyGirl: I know a bigger secret: where #NikkiHeat shops! Killer boots and leather jackets!

* * *

><p>She was too proud to admit she was under attack, but she wasn't above seeking a little comfort. She rang her father instead of waiting for his regular call. "Hey Dad. How are you holding up?"<p>

"Will it sound terrible if I admit to missing our simple life at the cabin? I mean, I know you were hurting and bored and sequestered…"

She cut him off, "I know what you mean. Life was pure, the air was clean, and the sounds of crickets meant I never once heard a siren the entire time I was there."

"Yeah. But too much of a good thing makes you question things."

"Dad." Damn if it wasn't true. She was always waiting for the next blow, the next murder, the next battle to fight. She always appreciated finding the dark world of homicide to make her life seem normal. Then she learned that even murder could be lighter under the deft touch of the master of the macabre. She shook off her involuntary thoughts of _him_…

"I went."

A lifetime of experience enabled Jim to deduce the planetarium was now the topic. "Let me guess. It was boring because you knew more than they did?"

"If I did it's because you taught me well. Actually I found it humorous. Every time the narrator spoke about a constellation, I heard one of Mom's made up names."

He chuckled at the coming pun, "Her astronomical intelligence made her befuddlement and fake names priceless."

"Leo wasn't a lion; Leo was called Tolstoy and the constellation looked like a mouse with a tail held high."

"Well, you were planning on studying Russian Literature. Leave it to your mother to combine interests."

"Is that why Libra became Scales of Justice?" Katie chuckled at the memory.

"Cancer became Dancer the reindeer and she insisted on a Christmas in July."

"The onion instead of Orion." _Oh so many layers…_ She groaned at that thought. Kate processed the memory. "They were too clever to be random. She did it on purpose, didn't she?"

"I am very sure I don't know what you are talking about. Your brilliant mother, who you take after, would never intentionally appear stupid about a topic that meant so much to you and I."

The trained investigator came to the (now) obvious conclusion. "She pretended incompetence so we could have father/daughter bonding time. Damn. How many years has she been gone and I am still learning new things about her?"

"Did you take anyone special with you to gaze at the stars?"

"Yes." She hated he was thinking of Castle and the truth would be more melancholy. "I took Captain Montgomery's girls. Afterwards we went to a midnight madness sale and stayed out ridiculously late." The 3 of them had fun. It was as if the night and stars and moon gave them cover to throw off the darkness and let go for a few hours.

"How are they doing?"

"Surprisingly well. Roy was badly hurt in a high speed chase when the girls were younger, and he told them regularly that every day after that was bonus time."

They were both quiet processing memories and the snare of tragedy that surrounded them.

"The narrator at the planetarium gave some mythological stories. The girls like the one about Queen Cassiopeia bragging about her daughter Andromeda who was a mere mortal and the comparison angered the goddesses. Neptune sent out a whale to devour her. She was chained to a rock and left to her fate."

"Kate, I know your mind. You'll try to twist the tale and find links where none exist. Last month it was the lion and the mice and now it's mythology. Yes, your mother used to brag about you; yes you're beautiful, and yes, you are a mere mortal. But you're not chained to a rock. At least you don't have to be. You studied too much literature in college."

"Did you know Castle is called the White Whale by the husband hunting women?"

"Kate." He paused. Then tried to undermine her. "Is that better or worse than Moby Dick?"

(…)

* * *

><p>ReTweeted: Rookie: what you get if Nikki and Rook have a baby!<p>

Facebook posting by Anonymous:

Remember the fairytale where the lion let the mouse live and then later the mouse repays the favor by chewing the ropes to free him? In this day and age the fairy tale got twisted.

They, the mice, scurried in the darkness admiring the king of beasts. The regal brute with handsome mane tolerated the little creatures but he had eyes only for a lioness. The minions from the castle wanted to curry favor so they watched the lioness. They heard the shot from the hunter and rejoiced it didn't kill her. That would have marred the balance of the urban jungle. The mice used the rope to ensnare the lioness hoping to domesticate her. Never mind it was the job of the lioness and her pride (group of lions which hunt together) to roam the savannah. The wound made her susceptible to the snare, the ropes, and the nets that encircled her. They tried with all their might to drag the lioness into the castle…

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><p>Like it or not, it was time to quit hiding in the shadows. She easily passed her psyche evaluation. The therapy she did after her mother's death was enough training to know all the right things to say and how to present actions in a positive light. Working out meant she was trying to regain her health. The trick was to make sure the number of hours you did it was hidden so he didn't realize she was working towards exhaustion. She talked about reconnecting with Maddy and forgot to mention how she pushed away Lanie. She talked about getting closer to her father and forgot about how she punished herself by pushing Castle away. The sunshine needed to reach into her rabbit hole again, no matter how unwilling she felt. It was time to go back into the world. It was time to face the consequences of her exile from the light in her life.<p>

You have 1 new voice mail message.

"_Strike 2! You show up back at work without coming to see me? I've kept my cool, but if you don't call and apologize it won't be pretty." _Lanie was pissed.

Kate needed to throw her girl a bone. Face the music. Bite the bullet. Whoa, where did that phrase come from? Regardless, Lanie was a good woman and a great friend and she needed to start making amends. It would be a good distraction from the creepy vibe her apartment was giving off.

Instead of hello, "Would ice cream, chocolate, and girl talk be enough of a peace offering?" Kate waited, sufficiently hopeful since her call was answered instead of ignored.

After another minute of silence hung in the air before the terms were dictated, "Is it my favorite flavor of ice cream, or have you forgotten what kind I like?"

"Just because I forgot to _call_ you doesn't mean I forgot _about_ you."

"What if I told you I wanted a chocolate sprinkles with the ice cream?"

"Got it." That request was too easy.

"What I really want on top the chocolate sprinkles is a chocolate covered cherry."

"Got it." A smile came through in her voice.

Lanie pushed her friend. "No, not cherry cordials but cherries dipped in dark chocolate."

"Got it." Sing song voice implied the challenge was too easy.

She wasn't getting off that easy. "Hmmm. I also feel like chocolate covered peanuts would be good on that bowl of brain freeze."

"Got it." Now she was just plain showing off.

"Topped with chocolate covered marshmallows."

Kate popped one in her mouth. "Got it. And it's 'eally 'ood!"

Damn. Maybe she was sorry. "No, I changed my mind. This is more of a chocolate dip strawberry night."

"Lanie, I got it." Her voice was full of feeling.

Parish got it, too. "Okay, one last demand. You've better share some damn good BFF secrets."

"If you hurry before the chocolate melts…"

In record time Lanie was there to appraise the spread. Everything she teased her girl about wanting was really there and more. Assorted chocolates. Chocolate wine. She even had spoons dipped in chocolate. Dr. Parish took in more than the scene. Beckett wasn't masking her emotions tonight. Vincent's song was playing in the background. The air had a chill in it. Hopefully it was in deference to the heat-susceptible treats. The only thing melting was Lanie's heart. "Girl, you went a little overboard."

Kate pulled her into a fierce hug. "I'm sorry. You know how I get. How I deal…"

"Fine, but enough is enough. I'm waiting to see if I have to be a medial professional and point out all the PTSD symptoms, or whether my girl is really back." Maybe the cooler room was symbolic of a cooler head? A cooler heart? Time to find out. She dissected Beckett with a piercing stare.

"Let's see if this helps. I finally broke up with Josh. I didn't do it sooner because I didn't want him to take it as traumatic reaction. That's the biggest mess I've been cleaning up since I got back from the cabin. Tonight I came home from work and hated that I was still thinking about my motorcycle man. If I didn't trust him I'd swear he was in here earlier." She handed over a plate and picked up a few chocolate pretzels to nibble on.

"Wow. I didn't see that one coming." Lanie grabbed an array of goodies and followed to the couch. "I thought you'd be all, '_I owe him my life' _and you'd be more stubborn than ever about trying to make it work." A nagging doubt crept into her mind. Not that Kate would tell her, but… "Did he do something stupid to make you break up with him?"

Yeah, he did something really, _really _stupid, but that was only part of why they broke it off. Aloud she responded, "No, he's over us. I really liked him and I wanted it work, but it wasn't going to."

The medical examiner was trained to notice detail. "Kate, so help me God, if he slept with another woman because he couldn't wait long enough to let you heal, I will kill him."

"Geeze, Lanie, no, nothing like that. Not everything is about sex. And I'm back to work. You can't say things like you'll kill someone around me." Idle threats were no longer idle to Beckett. Big or small, lethal or mundane, she now took them all seriously.

"You know I could do it. But I'd probably settle for a nice little fungal infection that would take him a while to get over."

"So every guy I'm with has to worry about you if they upset me?"

Lanie marveled at the deeper question. The stoic and strong detective needed reassurance. "There are few people in this world I'd put it all on the line for. You are one of those people. I want to see you happy and if some guy messes with your heart, I just might make him pay."

"Even if it were Castle?"

Definitely cooling her heels. "Kate, what did he do to make you push him away?"

"Lane, _asked and answered. _You asked me that before and my answer is the same. He did _nothing_ wrong. He would have done everything just right. He would have been a perfect avalanche of support and care the best of everything that money could buy. I would have suffocated. Gone Stockholm syndrome and never knew if it was what I was feeling was gratitude or something stronger. And sorry, but my dad got dibs on me."

Ok, if Castle didn't do something wrong in the past what prompted her to bring him up? She pushed the issue, "So you think Castle will hurt you at some point in the future?"

"You threatened to hurt Josh if he hurt me. It's an easy threat to make when you don't know or care about the other person. But you just work with Castle and I know you are pissed at me for pushing him away. I wonder how messed up things would be if we ever got together and he hurt me." The justification was thin. What really prompted the question was his fans coming after her in the own special ways. Beckett wasn't as good at walling off things as she used to be.

"Really, if you have to ask then I need to step up my game as your BFF. That last letter means I picked my side. Even Javi knows not to question that dynamic. He's sitting at my place alone because you got priority. And if you and Castle part ways in some messy manner, well, he'll have a horrific experience to write about in this next book. So, you brought up Castle's name. I didn't. Is this what you wanted to talk about?"

"Lanie, you heard about Josh from me. That's my peace offering to our friendship."

"There's more to the story. Give me a little dirt." Lanie always wanted the dirt.

The anger was at the recollection of the next tidbit. "I heard Josh pushed Rick in the hospital. While I was in surgery he had the gall to blame Castle for me getting shot. No matter how much I liked the Dr. Motorcycle Boy, I could never forgive him for that. My dad refuses to speak his name he was so pissed at Josh."

"Papa B wasn't the only one. You know what a bromance the guys got going on! Javi was ready to have a man to man talk with your pretty boy. I backed him down."

The sigh was one of resignation and sorrow and longing and… "I may have pushed Castle away, but I couldn't stay away from him. I studied him all summer via cyberspace. I was really bummed when he stopped tweeting 'due to recent heartbreaking events.' I watched every interview he's ever given. I read all the articles about him. I visited all his fan sights and kept up on all his discussion boards."

Lanie managed to reign in squeal of delight but not her effervescent smile. "Now we're getting somewhere!"

The green eyes looked wistful. "The truth about Castle? I told him to give me space but I didn't think he would."

Lanie guessed correctly, "You were counting on the fact if he can't stay in the car at a crime scene, he wouldn't stay away."

She shrugged. "At first I really did need space. I was on heavy meds, Josh was being so sweet, and Castle, well, his face is the last one I saw before the blackness took over. When I saw his anguish…" oops, close call. The dying declaration was reburied. "I'm talking about in the hospital; I would have done anything to make that go away. So I asked for space."

"Yeah, you spent all summer reading fan fiction stories about how Rook was chained to Nikki's side, lived on coffee, slept on hard plastic chairs and nursed her back to life."

"Lanie, how would _you_ know about all those stories unless you spent all summer reading them?" They shared a guilty grin, but Kate went back to serious. "The reality is my father was the one who lived on coffee, slept in a chair and nursed me back to health. Castle's version is Nikki sitting faithfully with Rook's future uncertain."

"Stop! You are trying to complicate this. You figured Writer boy would just show up at some point. Were you surprised he wasn't at the precinct today?" Another shrug was all the answer she was going to get. Lanie paused then let her have it. "So you got to be pissed at Castle no matter what."

"What no! Why would you say that?" Beckett was surprised by Lanie's conclusion.

"If he stayed away it means he didn't care and if he showed up it means he didn't listen. Guess what girlfriend. He cared enough to respect your wishes. Question is, do you care enough to make it right?"

The averted eyes weren't quick enough. Lanie called her on it again.

"Oh, so that's why I'm here. You don't miss me. You miss Castle. I'm here to threaten your ass so you can say I made you call him."

"Yes I missed you, but I thought you'd enjoy being able to hold me accountable. I'm going to track him down at a book signing later and I really don't know if he'll even speak to me."

"Why are you going after him? For you mother's case (yes, Javi gave me an update) or because you want things back the way they were or because you owe him an apology?"

"Because I owe him an explanation. I'm sorry if acting in what I thought was my own best interest hurt other people's feelings, but I deal with things on my own. Anybody who knows me knows that." She stopped talking to see if the double message which was also meant for Lanie was getting through. Since her girlfriend smiled, Kate continued, "I owe Castle the same respect he gave me: I need to find out if he wants to come back and respect his decision whatever it is."

The doctor looked sly. "You know what this means? You better report to the morgue tomorrow with an update! It's good to have you back, all the way back, Kate."

"Yea, ok, enough talk. There is a lot of chocolate to eat before it melts!" Maybe, just maybe, Katherine Beckett's heart was melting.

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><p>Twitter: OMG I saw #WriteRCastle at The Old Haunt. He wouldn't sign my boobs but I did get a picture with him!<p>

ReTweet: My idea of a graphic novel is Rook & Heat having more sex scenes!

Facebook: Check out the discussion threat about How to Make a Richard Castle Sundae. Too funny!

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><p><em>Author's note: The tweets are the beginning are from Montgomery's girls. I hope no one really has these names becuase I made them up and didn't bother to check. I hope this chapter softens the last one...<em>


	8. They're Back

Twitter: #NikkiHeat is back! RT to celebrate!

Facebook: Castle and his muse are together again!

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><p>Beckett was back. Back at work; back with Castle; back in therapy. By all superficial standards life was back to normal, albeit with gaping holes. The true captain of the 12th cast a long shadow that had yet to dissolve. The best detective of the 12th was slow to regain her footing. The banter was back.<p>

Beckett slammed down the phone and turned to him. "Castle, what have I told you about getting calls through the switchboard at the precinct?"

Some things never change. He almost covered his lobes in fear she was going to twist one off, but then he worried that she would interpret the gesture as not listening. "I am not to commandeer official police resources for my personal use. What did they want?"

"They wanted to talk to, and I am quoting here, 'the greatest solver of mysteries, Richard Castle.' I hung up on them since swearing would draw too much attention." Her voice got quieter and betrayed her need to keep him close. "Make it stop or Iron-works will brand you persona non grata."

"Any chance it was one of my rivals trying to play a joke on me?"

"Anonymous caller."

"Oh. How am I supposed to stop that?" The question may be legitimate, but Beckett wasn't listening. She was back to business.

"Shut up, Castle. I have work to do. If I hear another word out of you I will twist your ear so hard…" she left the threat hanging.

He jumped as his phone rang. Out of fear that any noise coming from him may constitute a valid reason for her to injure him, he hit the ignore-call button immediately. Esposito and Ryan laughed at his paranoia.

A few minutes later a chime alerted him to a new text message. He read the message before dropping the phone in undisguised fear. Since Beckett's wrath radiated off her in waves, he picked it up and showed it to Esposito.

"Dude, really? You want me to take this seriously?" He handed the phone over to Ryan who scanned it and started tapping out commands on his computer.

Castle admitted, "I know a lot of people in low places."

Beckett snorted with grim agreement. Her mirth ended when Ryan reported quietly, "Message came from a burner phone. Not only has it been turned off, it has been disabled so it won't turn back on. The message originated from the cell tower closest to the address in the text."

The lead detective rose and in a display of aloof indifference glanced at the office. The occupant was busy. She wondered over to the guys and took the phone held out to her.

"_Body in vacant lot on__ Lex. Welcome back to work, a gift from your fans."_

Beckett ignored the reference to the fans and the implication that he was being watched since they'd only been back to work a few weeks. "Let's go."

Ryan hesitated. "Shouldn't we report this and have uniforms check it out first? That is the proper protocol."

Esposito grunted in disgust, but he didn't disagree. All three men watched Beckett for a decision.

With exaggerated movements Beckett went back to her desk. She made a note in her call log (anon tip about body in vacant lot on Lex) and then nodded for them to follow.

Castle was back albeit different than before. Everyone understood, but no one attributed the proper cause. Sure watching your muse gunned down was gut wrenching despite the horrific realism it provided for his writing. His popularity was profiting from reality and it appalled him. So did the balance between the anger of his daughter with the love of his life. The cop-like author juggled his need to solve Johanna's death with vow to keep Kate from being killed. As if that wasn't enough he vowed to be true to his declaration and say it repeatedly but without words. The champion of absurd theories was too engrossed by these bigger issues to miss the simple message of events that unfolded after the masked avengers made their appearance. At least in the beginning.

* * *

><p>The gray tarp looked normal among the construction debris scattered around the area. It also looked perfect to hold a body that had been buried and then dug up and dumped here. There was no foul stench of death or visible blood pools, so someone had to unwrap Castle's present.<p>

"It's Castle's so make him do it." Esposito had too much glee in his voice at the thought of pretty boy getting gory.

Ryan spoke hurriedly, "As long as it's not me. I had to go into that damn drain pipe last month for evidence and it ruined my slacks."

Everyone glared at him including Beckett. She popped on her blue gloves and studied the roll. She went to the other end and lifted open the tarp where the end had been tucked under the weight like a flap. She pulled out her flashlight and shined it inside. Her face was impassive but her voice had a hitch in it. "Call it in. Ryan, check for cameras in the area. Esposito, stay here with it until the ME arrives, and then check with locals to find out what you can. And guys, this was an anonymous tip that came over the phone to _me_. Don't mention any other links." She shot them all a piercing look. Castle had _nothing_ to do with this.

She walked away from the body and turned her back to it. Castle followed a little unnerved by events. She held out her hand. Wordlessly Castle handed over his phone. She scrolled through his menu to look at the last call he ignored. As suspected, it was from the same number as the text message.

"Kate, what is it? What are you thinking?" That hitch in her voice and the insistence that he find body had all kinds of implications.

"Look around quickly. Let me know if you see the burner phone." She was doing the same. So far there was no crowd. As soon as cruisers and crime scene tape went up there would be all kinds of eyes on them. Right now there were just a few bored teens, a guy on a bike who stopped to talk on his cell phone, and a common thug smoking a cigarette.

Castle put himself in story mode. He walked to the street where someone could sit in a car and be less conspicuous. As he looked along the gutter, a cheap phone smashed into pieces caught his eye. He glanced across the distance to Beckett. She nodded slightly and deliberately put her hand into her pocket. He pretended a sneeze and dropped a kerchief. As he picked it up the part of the phone with the sim card slipped hidden into his jacket. When he glanced back to the detective, she had her back to him.

He casually rejoined her. "What should I do with it?"

She stared hard at him. "I didn't see a thing. Don't offer any theories on this one. Don't volunteer any information. If someone asks you a question, answer truthfully with as little information as possible."

Castle was fine with going rogue. If someone was setting him up to take some heat from Gates, he could outsmart them.

"You are going back to the station." She delivered the edict without feeling.

The worry in his eyes made him speak without considering all aspects. "Don't build walls with me at work. Kate, please…"

She interrupted. "I don't think this is a threat against you, but I am not taking chances with your safety and Gates watching us like a hawk. I could change my mind and send you home for the duration of this investigation." The threat was effective and he clamped his jaws shut.

Castle was sent back to the precinct in a cruiser as the medical examiner's van rolled up. Beckett watched Dr. Parish unroll the plastic sheeting. When the body was revealed everyone looked surprised except Beckett. She had seen the plastic bag over the head when she peeked in the tarp earlier. She hadn't seen the duct tape around the clear plastic, but it confirmed her suspicion.

The body was too decomposed to hazard a guess on how long it was dead. "This one's several years old. No preliminary findings until I get it back to the morgue." Everyone nodded.

Beckett pointed at the arms hiding beneath the body, "Can you tell if the fingers were broken?"

Dr. Parish rolled the corpse over. More tattered remnants of tape suggested the hands were bound. She examined the victim's digits and nodded affirmation. "Do you want to share with the class?"

Esposito voiced the problem. "We had a similar MO with the doc that was suffocated, but the gal that did it flipped and testified for the feds."

Beckett had several minutes' prior warning to recall the particulars. "That perp was imitating another mobster's MO - Jimmy "The Rat" Moran. Both worked for the Spolano family. Until we get info on the vic, you two focus on the scene. I'll follow up the mob leads and reach out to the feds."

She gave everyone a quick nod and left. As soon as she was out of earshot, Ryan reminded everyone of the baggage that came with this case. "Last time she reached out to the feds on this case, her ex, Will Sorenson, got shot. Let's hope things go better this time. I've had enough law enforcement shootings to last me a lifetime."

Lanie got nervous. "Is that why she sent Castle back to the 12th?" Ryan and Esposito shared unspoken concern. This body was reported to Castle. Esposito admonished his girlfriend, "Quiet, Lanie. Work this one hard and fast."

* * *

><p>Beckett and Gates were going at it in the captain's office. Beckett was pissed that she had to waste time bringing Gates up to speed on old murders and mobsters, federal court cases and turncoats. Montgomery was irreplaceable at times like this.<p>

Gates was reprimanding Beckett for reaching out to other agencies without her knowledge and explicit approval. "I've got calls coming into this precinct from the US Marshals Office and FBI. Don't ever blindside me on an active investigation again! Is that clear?"

"The calls were for _me_ and therefore I saw no need to brief _you_." A quiet accusation hung in the air.

"Anytime you reach beyond the scope of the NYPD I need to know about it." The authority in her voice was unmistakable.

"I'm not familiar with that regulation." No such reg existed, so she feigned ignorance to call her bluff.

Gates got high and mighty, "That's a directive from your captain. Is a verbal command sufficient or should I put it in writing and make it a part of your permanent file?" Gates was used to being the smartest person in the room. That's probably what rubbed her the wrong way about Castle and made her imaginary protégé beyond need of her.

"Sir, I will happily enforce your directive that the entire squad of detectives notifies you of every contact outside of NYPD. Do you want them to report in writing or verbally? Do we wait for you to approve it before continuing and what if you are not available?" Beckett kept the smile off her face. Gates was going to loose this round, but she couldn't be arrogant about it.

"No, that's not what I mean. You are the only one who seems to have a history of reaching far beyond the authority of this law enforcement agency."

"Yes, I've got lots of contacts." She let that sound more like a threat than it should have.

This brought up another point Gate was pissed about. "How is it that you were first on scene for this victim?"

"I got an anonymous call which I entered in my log. We had wrapped up the Lone Vengeance case so I could go to the scene and validate the information. I don't like wasting time." Like now was unspoken implication. She picked up the file with the dental records and steered the conversation away from the body and back to the absurdity. "To be clear, sir, I should seek permission every time I speak to someone outside of the NYPD such as a dentist from the private sector?"

"Good god no!"

"Sister agencies such as Port Authority or the corrections department?" Beckett pressed.

"Again, not necessary." Gates was getting weary of being one step behind.

The person with the informal power made the wannabe spell it out. "Then who, exactly, do you want to know about?"

"Networking is a necessary part of my job as captain of this precinct." Gates broke eye contact. Beckett wins.

Inside thought: Yeah, doing nothing but going after your own in IA would leave your contact list a little thin. You want to move up and need to rub elbows with higher ups, especially the federal level. "Yes, I have contacts in Homeland Security various departments of the FBI and other federal agencies, but most of those are sealed cases and I can't talk about them." Beckett was unimpressed with her own extensive list of colleagues. Castle was the one with the impressive list of contacts.

The detective pretended to look aghast, "Wait, all case files to due with Jimmy Moran are closed so none of the details can compromise him while in WitPro. "Gosh, Captain, do you think I broke regs and told you too much already?" She managed not to roll her eyes at her boss.

They hashed out the necessary protocols and got a stalemate in place. Beckett came out of the office with pent up frustration. She was trying desperately to keep everyone from digging too deep in this murder.

"Sorry Castle, no theory building. We've got the vic's identity and the killer. He was killed by one rival family and dumped on another hoping to bring down some _heat _on them. We don't want anyone asking too many questions so go home." She glanced at the captain's office as she said it. She tried to soften her demeanor. "The case is closed and we are done for the night. Go spend some time with Alexis and your family. You can stare at me doing paperwork tomorrow."

He knew better than to argue with her in that mood and he acquiesced with a simple, "Until tomorrow, detective." Actually he had a lot on his To Do list for the evening.

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><p>Tweet Buy Heat Rises! It is a great book!<p>

Facebook: Tell Black Pawn we want Rook's romance novels in real life! Power to the fans! Even if they get a ghostwriter to do it we need some fluffy goodness!


	9. Promises, Promises

Facebook posting by Johanna's Daughter: Hey west coast fans of RC- Want to see more of your favorite author? Tell Stanford University how much you want his daughter to be accepted! Castle will be sure to visit her a lot so let the alumni network make it happen!

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><p>Beckett stormed towards the morgue needing the defiant strength of her friend. She stopped dead in her tracks when a heated discussion drifted out through the doors.<p>

"She can't tell Gates." This was followed rapid-fire by another opinion attributed to her. "She's more worried about Castle."

"He'll figure it out just like we did. Then she'll go dark again."

"Realistically there isn't anything we can do. The cure is worse than the disease."

The men looked at the doctor and challenged her view. "Beckett will bolt. She almost severed all ties during her recovery. If we push we loose her."

"If we don't stop this we may loose her. I will not stand by and watch Beckett go down yet again."

So that's how they saw her. All brittle and no spine. Shit. As the object of the discussion entered the temperature in the morgue got colder. She played it even cooler, "Dr. Parish, do you have an update on the victim?"

"Ah, I was going to call you to present preliminary findings," she hedged. The professional tone hopefully covered the embarrassment of getting caught talking with her colleagues like she didn't matter anymore.

"I'm here to make your job easier. These dental records should confirm the victim was an undercover officer from major crimes, Andrew Miller. He went missing while investigating the Spalano family 4 and half years ago. Despite the outcry from the police, Jimmy The Rat was granted immunity for this murder. They wanted the mob boss more than the bag man. We've already got a signed statement from the murder. Open and shut case."

Everyone still glared at everyone else. Beckett wanted to diffuse the situation and do everything possible to keep her paranoid friends from being overly concerned. She could still label it paranoia if they didn't know the real truth. How twisted…

The leader tried to guide them down the path she wanted, "Yes, it sucks we can't nail the guy, but we get his body back to his parents for a proper burial. And we closed the case quickly. Everybody go home. We'll tackle the paperwork tomorrow."

Esposito wasn't going to be placated. "Why did the body appear now, Beckett?"

She snapped her eyes down quickly. "Doesn't matter. Case closed. Gates agreed."

Ryan followed Esposito's lead. "Why was it reported to your partner?"

She could take on _his_ blue eyes. "It was Castle who has the mob connection. Nothing more."

"Bullshit." Esposito's pent up need for protecting a fellow officer (or two) left him spoiling for a fight.

"Javi, not like this. Not now." Lanie pleaded on behalf of her girlfriend.

"Sorry Chica, this is a professional discussion among partners." He turned from her and the dismissal did not bode well for their personal relationship. Esposito addressed Beckett, "If we're supposed to have your back, you can't keep us in the dark. Time to ante up and show you are still part of the team."

So much for an easy out. The soft response was not from weakness, but from embarrassment, "It's not connected to my mother's murder." Too bad it came out sounding like denial.

"Beckett, we know we let you down before. That doesn't mean you have to pretend he's still not out there- around us." Ryan needed her to admit the danger before they could counteract it.

"With a little hindsight I realize I've been shadowed by the mob since I came back to the city. Now I understand why." She shook her head. She could walk out but that would solve nothing. She tried to obscure the truth, but the lie was worse than this reality. Could life get any more difficult? Well, actually it could. It took only a split second to decide that if Castle got involved she would never be able to live with herself.

She went on the offensive. "How pissed are the 3 of you with the way I've treated Castle this summer?" Silence spoke loudly. Esposito nodded in agreement, Lanie looked sympathetic, and Ryan tried to hide the truth.

"A lot of people seem to think I've hurt Rick by demanding space. This is a personal message - not a warning from the dragon. Good drama 'shows instead of tells' so they showed their hand to give me their message. _If you hurt Rick we will kill you._ I've been hearing a lot about how life is too short to waste time and let's just say the Casketteers are a bit fanatical in their methods telling me to wise up."

Ryan got it first because he knew more than the rest of them. Two of the three quickly recalled her recent question about this very subject. They believed her. While they were overwhelmed with the implications she pressed her agenda.

She turned to confront Esposito. "Time to pick your side. Are you with me _or_ Castle? I know where Ryan and Parish stand, but I don't know where you stand." She had that mask in place that she used for interrogations.

"What are you asking me?" Esposito was guarded.

"What are you willing to do if I am getting hurt?" She goaded him, hoping her acting skills were up to it. "This is all Castle's fault. You know this is a threat. I've got a dead cop and they successfully hid the body. Then they dumped it on me to prove they can do it again. They are rubbing my nose in a cop killing! How loyal are you to _me_? Are you ready to help with paybacks?"

"There are times when vengeance is noble and violence is warranted. What do you have in mind?" If she was going after a mobster she'd need backup.

"I thought I'd make Castle pay. Keeping him at arms length isn't enough, so I'm going to push back." She held his gaze and watched him flinch in surprise.

"Bullshit. You are **not** going after Castle." The muscled arms folded defiantly over his chest.

"Are you going to stop me from going after Castle or are you saying I have no intention of going after him and I'm full of shit?"

"Both." She had been glaring at him with piercing green eyes. Now she looked resigned. Esposito wasn't sure which was worse.

"Nice to know whose side you're on." It took all her willpower not to crack.

"Beckett, I don't mean it like that." He stepped closer to her.

She let him off the hook with a smile. "Bullshit is right. I'm not going after Castle and neither are you. Any of you. _Ever_." Three grown adults looked sheepish. She was rubbing their noses in the split loyalties. Like any good leader, she knew things were fine only until the inevitable bumps in the road. Then came well meaning but ill advised rogue interference. She wanted to deal with that here and now, once and for all.

Ryan tried to light the heaviness that was ensconced around the friends. "If mom and dad end up fighting we have to stay out of it. Don't want to hurt the psyche of the kids?"

She appreciated his attempt, but this was more important than life or death to her. She stayed zeroed in on the Hispanic. "Castle is your brother in arms even if we can't hand him a badge to make it official. I know you and Ryan feel like you owe him for helping to get you away from Lockwood. Right here and now I need your word that no matter what happens between Castle and I on a personal level, you never go after him."

The man closest to her was as still as death. Ryan was easier to read, he simply sagged. Whether from relief or defeat she couldn't tell.

Esposito was more serious than she'd ever seen him. "You're right Castle earned my trust and I consider him a brother in arms. But I don't make blind promises like that. If you and he were married and he got drunk and it was splashed all over the papers that he slept with some Hollywood bimbo, he'd get a visit from me. No, I'd never threaten to kill him, but I'd make my point."

Beckett closed the distance between them. "I know you are the protective brother I never had growing up." It was blatant emotional manipulation, but she needed to play her strongest card.

"Whether it turns out to be a nightmare or fairytale, it is our story to write." She pointed to the scar from where they cracked open her chest. "It's my heart to risk. If I can't trust you completely, _I_ can't work with you. _We can't work with you_." She saw the hardened detective wince.

"You'd really transfer to a different precinct if I can't make that promise?" Esposito's gut clenched.

"Montgomery is gone. Gates hates us. It may come to that anyway when the mayor's time in office is up. So if this is the only way forward, so be it. I may not be jumping into his arms, but I am taking stock of priorities. I want Castle in my life, but he gets enough threats from me without hearing them from my friends."

The muscled detective weakened. "I guess I've sat on the sidelines this far, so I want to see how it plays out. I promise not to jump in the game although I may yell a few profanities from the bleachers."

The glance shared more than words ever would.

Ryan was next. All Beckett had to do was look at him and he cracked. "You want Rick all to yourself to abuse? Sounds a little kinky, Beckett."

The woman let a quick smile show. "Yeah, but all joking aside. Promise me."

The man engaged to be married shrugged, "History is built over time and not erased by one stupid decision. Every day he shows up to watch your back without a gun. He stopped being a playboy and worked your mother's case, proving to me that man is yours, body, mind and soul. Castle gets a pass on revenge," Ryan promised.

She thanked him with a knowing smile and turned to the maven of the morgue. Lanie would be the one picking up the pieces if it all went bad. Lanie was fiercely loyal. Lanie was going to be a tough sell. Kate let her worry show. "This moment, right now is when you prove to me you think Castle is the man for me. Tell me you trust him with my heart by telling me you'll never need to hurt him. Make me that promise, and one more wall comes down."

"Kate, his buddies get to hurt you but we can't level the playing field and push back? No dice. I'm _your _friend. No matter what you do to him, if _he_ hurts you, he answers to _me_."

Kate narrowed her eyes. "We've both got too much baggage not to get a few hard knocks along the journey. But if you don't trust him enough to make me this promise, I'll let that feed my anxieties."

Lanie weighed the sentiments, the moment, the recovery and finally conceded, "I know how easy it is to screw up even when you are in love. I will honor my oath to do no harm. You better figure things out soon."

Esposito made one last observation to Beckett, "Just because we promised you we wouldn't hurt pretty boy doesn't mean we can't have a little fun with him. If the time ever comes, we can still threaten him." He smirked at the thought.

Beckett was lost in her own thoughts. Fighting for Rick, their relationship, even in its current form, was liberating. Protecting him from this battle was equally important. "You've got another promise to make me."

She stared them all down. "Promise me you won't tell Castle the victim was a cop."

Silence hung in the cool foul air.

"If anyone says a word to Castle, hints to him what is going on, I will end things once and for all and deserve the consequences. Too many other things are figuring in the balance like Alexis and the dragon and it won't take much to think he is better off without me. Is that clear?"

Stunned silence. This was not a brittle Beckett; this was a hard nosed woman out to get her way.

"Damn it. I've got legions working against me. I don't need the people closest to me, however well meaning, sticking their noses in my personal business. Give me your word."

Lanie caved. "Not a word to Castle. But don't be surprised if he draws some conclusions on his own."

Esposito and Ryan reluctantly nodded.

Kate relaxed, the fight drained from her. "Thanks. I don't say it often, but I'm lucky to have you guys in my life." She bobbed her head and exited for a quiet evening at home, in her sanctuary, rebuilding her fortitude.

The remaining detectives shrugged at each other. "It is still a threat even if the people behind it aren't who we thought."

"She tied our hands. What can we do?"

Lanie sighed. "You leave it to me. I know exactly how to keep my promise not to tell Castle and take care of this mess. Tell me everything you know or suspect."

After her briefing, Lanie sent Ryan running as she laid a heated kiss on her boyfriend. That had him pliant and focused his attentions only on the woman in front of him. Everyone slipped into the night and let the shadows have their last hurrah.

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><p>Tweet: #WriteRCastle ready for a kill shot! (twitpict of him entering a shooting range.)<p>

Facebook: RC seems happy to be back to work with KB. Maybe Heat Rises won't be the last Nikki Heat novel after all!

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><p><em>Author's Note: This was the toughest chapter to write. My greatest challenge was trying to show, despite Beckett's defining personality trait of justice, she wanted to avoid, at all costs, a justified retaliation toward Castle supporters and against the man himself if he ever went back to his playboy ways. I wanted to see Kate fight for Rick even if she was fighting against her own friends. Lofty ambition, I know. It was also time to showcase Esposito and how he would deal with the "if you hurt her I will…" speech. Split loyalties indeed!<em>


	10. Command Performance

The matriarch waltzed into Kate's apartment as the detective guardedly opened the door. Martha forgot that the many hours she spent here growing comfortable occurred with Kate's father and unbeknownst to the daughter. Then again, Martha knew all about stealing a scene. "Darling, forgive the appalling lack of courtesy by not calling. I trust you have better manners than I and will offer me a drink while I regale you with stories."

Beckett needed this time to regroup. She did not need a Castle in any incarnation distracting her from the personal battles she had to fight. She certainly did not like the agenda before her, because she knew Martha had an angle to play. At the very least it was a recovery pep talk, at the worst a nudge about Richard. "What about coffee with honey schnapps?" As long as Beckett could get a jolt of caffeine she'd deal with the conversation. She'd skip the schnapps.

"Divine! Reminds me of the time early in my career when I went from struggling actress to starlet. There was a lifestyle I knew nothing about and had to learn quickly."

Kate merely raised an eyebrow. It was hard to imagine the Broadway headliner as anything else. She busied herself with making a fresh pot.

"Yes my dear reluctant heroine, there was a time when I had no adoring fans, no experience dealing with publicity, and no support system to give me sound advice. If I could give you a helpful nudge at this point in your life it would be about fans. You deal with so much darkness it colors the way you see the adoring public. You could use a little more lightness and fluff in your life."

Okay, this conversation wasn't so bad. Beckett gave her attention but shot her a look about the fluff comment.

Martha continued her schooling, "I've had some unfortunate experience with well-meaning friends and creepy fans over the years. Know this: most of them mean well. They latch on to a famous person because of a positive attribute they like. The devotion can get so strong they need to express it and just want to reinforce something good. You have a public voice that can be another powerful tool should you choose to unleash it."

"My fame seems frivolous and if I want to use the publicity, I feel cheap employing something I didn't earn." The detective was candid about the topic. She gave it more thought, "I guess fans trying to do something nice is sweet. And it's been enlightening to see what all these people are willing to do for Rick. People love him._ I_ know he is a really good guy, but I thought the rest of the world saw him as a mere playboy."

"Perhaps he once was, but good people grow and change for the better. And even if I say so myself, my son has made me proud."

"Obviously you taught Richard to navigate the pitfalls of fame and soar to success." Yeah, that was both sarcastic and serious, but she knew Martha would appreciate it.

The cunning elder got serious, "_Please, don't trivialize how daunting it is to have every movement reported like news, strangers who think you are their friend and people forcing themselves into your life to manipulate you for their own ends."_ Martha arched her perfect brows and waited for the light to dawn on the younger woman's face.

Shit! She knew. No time to figure out how she knew, but Kate's predicament was known to Rick's mother. Damn! If she knew, did that mean…?

"Richard has no idea that I am here or that I needed to pay this call on you. He is however, out tonight in search of a man named Sal Tenor."

Her first instinct: evade. "Yeah, we had a case pop up today that Castle asked Tenor about several years ago. That's all."

"Really Darling? That's how you want to play this? Stall too long and Richard will figure it out."

Interrogation tactics- make her spell out what she knows. "Why are you here, exactly?"

"Duty calls. It is in everyone's best interest that I act thus." She sized up the other player. "Kate, I know more than you do."

Next tactic: play dumb. Beckett perfected her own acting skills over the years. "I can't imagine what… I'm at a loss here…"

Martha wasn't playing, "Did you know they went after Dr. Davidson first? Did he ever replace the motorcycle that was stolen? I heard he had some identity theft issues and a very real death threat. Whether or not you realized it, your breakup saved him a world of trouble. A certain mobster whose name has already been mentioned was going to break some fingers. Your doctor wouldn't have been a surgeon anymore."

Forget the tactics. Stop playing dumb. Get as much information as possible. "What? How do you know these things?" The incredulous tone had a tinge of disbelief.

The elder woman waved her hand. This part of the scene was boring but necessary. "Darling, the things I know could fill so many books I'd need my own library. The friends and fans of Richard Castle are mad at you. Let's see. Public manipulation to browbeat you into their agenda. Identity theft that undercuts all your financial security. Your professional actions are under increased scrutiny and so they want to make you a puppet for the mayor. Blatant threat of cop killing. Blah, blah, blah."

An involuntary swallow confirmed the litany of forces at work. So much for evading. She tried desperately to spin a yarn to keep Martha from seeing Rick as the only savior to this predicament. "Um, I've got people and got it covered."

The look called her a liar but the words were kinder. "Kiddo, I must repeat myself to draw attention to who's center stage." She produced a sealed envelope and paused before handing it to Beckett. "I know more about what is going on than even you do. Have they threatened to start on your father yet?" The look of horror assured Martha things had not progressed that far. "Richard's followers are a special breed." She handed the envelop over.

Before pulling the note out, Kate gasped at finding her mother's ring inside. She flew to her murder board to confirm it. The chain was hanging there but the ring was missing. Someone had been in her apartment and removed the most precious artifact she owned. The last time she wore it was the day she went back to the precinct on active duty. Numbly she walked back to read the note.

_I would never harm a lady, but I did need to prove my intentions. A petulant tease deserves a payback. If you toy with his heart, I am compelled to toy with your well being. It wouldn't be much: his books rearranged on your bookshelf, or his favorite vintage spilled in the crown vic. Heaven forbid your badge goes missing because that could only occur while you are asleep in your bed. My young friend, at the end of life one appreciates the importance of decision made when young. Consider this guidance on making better choices._

She dropped the paper from her hand as if made of lead. She nodded for Martha to read, if she even needed to, while she poured a generous slug of alcohol into each mug. Then she poured the dark coffee to the rim. She served her guest and took a large swig. Closing her eyes she took a moment to hide from the world.

She was recalled to the light by the soft tone of Martha Rodger's, "My people are better than your people. Are you ready for a fading diva's advice?"

"I can't Martha." She expounded her thought, "I can't give them what they want."

"What do they want?"

"I can't go running into Rick's arms and live happily ever after."

"You can't or won't? You can't ever do it or you won't do it right now?" No time for subtle.

"Either way it looks the same to them."

"But it isn't the same to me." The matriarch's tone had a warning in it.

Martha was behind this? Kate shook off the notion. Martha may not be on her side, but she wasn't her enemy. She maintained her mute defense.

The red head weighed her words, "You are family, but right now we are a house divided. Alexis is pulling her father away from you and Richard wants to run into your arms and never let you go. I am trying to balance the forces in play."

She kept silent and ignored the allure of letting Alexis be responsible for breaking her father's heart by coming between the duo. She walled off the idea that she was already 'family.'

"Kate, you are family," the matriarch repeated. "Like it or not, your life has intertwined with Richard. Like it or not, Jamison and Nikki are a force to be reckoned with."

"I never got a choice in the matter. My life was derailed when my mother was murdered. My life was altered when Castle needed a new muse. My future life is subject to the whims of others. The phantoms of the past, present and future are all over me. Does it matter what I want?" Kate wrapped her hands around the warmth of the mug and sniffed the aroma of devotion.

But the older woman wasn't going to let the other pander in pity. "I was told to sacrifice everything for my career. That included the result of an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction of birth control that lead to Richard Rodgers appearance. Life deals us drama. Whether we listen to the critics or the fans, we choose our response."

Beckett maintained her boycott of words so Martha continued, "Darling, let me try to balance the scales. You have some baggage due to your mother's untimely passing. Let me give you the key to unlock Richard's baggage with his father issues."

Kate drew in a sharp breath. How in God's name was this supposed to make things easier? "How can you toy with Rick's paternity like that? Like this?" She was aghast at the offer.

The rebuttal was sharp. "I am not _toying_ with him. I have spent a lifetime alone raising my son, protecting him. I would give my life for him. But forces are acting on you and I am mortally afraid the decisions you make will turn my son into the tin man. I will use every power I have to keep him whole even if that means he hates me." The mask of Melpomene was stripped away and the maternal love was omnipotent.

Katherine Beckett slumped, the totality coming close to crushing her. _As if there weren't enough large pachyderms running around in her dwelling… Damn! _Walls helped her compartmentalize. She needed to put out this fire and then deal with the smoldering embers. "Please don't complicate my relationship with Rick by adding more baggage. I need to pretend I didn't hear your offer."

"How predictable." Martha gestured for Kate to continue.

"You, and everyone, seem to think my only choice is _when _Rick and I get together. Given the pressures of his fans, it seems like an easy solution to choose now instead of later."

"Hence my question you have yet to answer: You can't ever do it or you won't do it right now?"

A jolt of caffeine bolstered her response. "No one is asking the right question."

"Which is…?"

"Do I choose my love for my mother or choose my love for my partner? Yes, the two are mutually exclusive in my mind. One honors the woman who gave me life. The other allows for new life. One pledges justice, the other my heart. Both have implications of 'til death do us part. Why, Martha, _why_ can't I see if my baggage is sent packing and then we'll see where we stand? _Why can't we be allowed to write our own story?_" Wait, did she admit aloud her feelings for this woman's son? Oh hell…

The actress paused to consider Kate's plight and the various ways this could play out. There was so much to this woman that made her a worthy companion for her son. The confidant of Castle recalled that he was hiding the deal to keep Kate safe as long as he steered her away from Johanna's murder investigation. At some point in the future she might need any goodwill she could garner now.

She must act. "All the worlds a stage…" She pulled the younger woman into a maternal hug. "You can wait, darling. Your secrets are safe with me, and someday down the road I'll share my secrets with you. Meanwhile, let an old woman feel useful and let me charm mayors and judges, bartenders and burglars. Trust me to take care of this for you."

"How can you…?"

She waved her hand. "Fame has its perks. It also doesn't hurt that I barged into Richard's life without regard to boundaries and propriety. I know everyone he knows and then some. It will be a fun distraction to fix this after the seriousness of the past several months." She recalled her audience and apologized. "Sorry, my dear, to call your tribulations a distraction in comparison to your fight for life. Just trust me," she repeated.

As an after thought Martha added, "Oh, and I'll need you to accept the invitation Richard will issue for a poker night with the Mayor and Judge."

"How can I ever…?"

"I have a price and it is simply that _you will owe me_. As a down payment I believe your father insisted on a little more fun in your life. It so happens that I have 2 tickets to the Russian ballet, and I am in desperate need of someone to accompany me."

Could it be just that simple? Katherine Beckett shook her head in awe. Thank god for Martha Rodgers. She "forced" her into accepting her help and was going to completely resolve the situation. Thank god for divas who knew how to steal a scene. She gave his mother a look of gratitude.

Beckett needed to continue to make amends for the hurt she caused Castle, and by extension, to his family. From her desk she pulled a small square box. "Would you do me yet another favor and deliver this to your son?"

"Reducing me to a messenger?" The ageless beauty teased.

Beckett held the box possessively. "Perhaps you know the story of the watch I wear?" The sheen in Martha's eyes were confirmation enough. "When Dad gave it to me it was a reminder that every minute we have together is bonus time. I wanted to return the sentiment with a token gift."

She opened the box to reveal a pair of cuff links. "They match a pair I had made for my father. These are made from bullets that came from my service weapon. They were in my gun clip the day I got shot. Now that I am recovering, I hope they are a testament to that which copper and lead can't penetrate." She choked up before she got out the rest of her speech. She wanted to wax eloquent about the strength of love, but the emotion rendered her weak and mute.

The actress took her cue, "My son would take a bullet _for _you. This gift should come _from_ you."

"I know. That's why _I_ can't give this to him. Despite Castle's success as a best selling author, we communicate best through deeds, not words. We show instead of tell."

The mother gave a dramatic sigh that required no acting skills. "Darling, you're killing me!"

"Martha, it's the journey that makes 'happily ever after' so sweet."

"Are you going to get there?"

"Last year I went in the wrong direction; I know that now. This summer was gut wrenching for all of us and Rick's friends added a new layer on top of it. Despite it all, I am headed in the right direction. But I need to fix what's wrong or else 'Nikki Heat' will be just a flash and burn out. This is too important to screw it up anymore."

The matriarch smiled at the wisdom. "Then there is just one thing left for me to do." She picked up the box and gave her a wink. "Time for me to exit, stage left."

* * *

><p>Twitter Martha Rodgers and NikkiHeat spending time together. You know what that means!<p>

ReTweet: Rumors of Castle and Beckett secretly dating. Some fans are getting jealous!

Facebook: Read the interview about Ms. Rodgers new acting school. Great tidbits about how happy her son is although she won't say why. Bet we know why…

(The End)

* * *

><p><em>Final author's note: yes, the ring was stolen by season 1 jewelry burglar, Powell.<em>

_Need more resolution? It's up to Andrew Marlowe to decide their fate. This just plays with a "what if" scenario asked by Srathor. I thought carefully about extending the story by contemplating how those closest to the duo would react in a tit-for-tat battle, but it seemed premature at this point in time to involve Jim Beckett or people that work for Castle such as Gina. I loved the challenge of showcasing Castle's character without featuring him prominently in the story. I wanted the tenacity of his fans to speak for how great they think he is. As for KB, I hope she came off as a strong, independent woman even as she was embattled while recovering. Most of all, I hope the twisted tale was interesting and unique. Many thanks to those that reviewed - your thoughts and encouragement are invaluable to me. Adios fellow fans. _


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